VALPARAISO, Ind. — Voters in two Northern Indiana counties overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to create a regional transportation district.

Tallies from Tuesday’s special election show that nearly 80 percent of Porter County ballots were cast against the district, while 95 percent of St. Joseph County voters opposed it.

The state legislature mandated the referendum on creating the district for Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties with income tax authority for commuter rail and bus service.

Porter County Councilman Dan Whitten called the referendum’s defeat a mandate against additional taxes for unnecessary expenditures.

Regional Development Authority director Bill Hanna says the proposal had been subjected to much misinformation.

The referendum was not held in Lake and LaPorte counties as officials didn’t approve election funding.