State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, told Portage Mayor Austin Bonta in a July 28 text message that he would "work hard to make sure your city never gets any revenue increases!!!," according to a screenshot that Bonta shared on Facebook.

The message came after Bonta voiced support on Facebook for elected members to be included on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the five-member body appointed by the governor and tasked with reviewing rate increases sought by utilities.

Soliday, who chairs the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee, accused the mayor in his message of taking a stance that would make it harder for NIPSCO to provide pay increases to its employees and to maintain its aging infrastructure.

The IURC approved a NIPSCO rate hike earlier in June — tho

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