Big city tax rates bleed into rest of Lake county

Moby Grape · **Joined:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:19 pm **Posts:** 13802

Finally... this made it to print.

Quote:

Big city tax rates bleed into rest of Lake county
The Times By Bill Dolan

CROWN POINT | Taxpayers can hide in the farthest corners of rural Lake County's cornfields, but they can't escape having to help pay for their big city neighbors' public spending.

The County Council recently passed a balanced 2012 budget, but county government's newest fiscal consultant said the county still is being punished by an $11 million loss in revenue to the state's property tax caps because of high tax rates -- outside of their control -- of its largest cities and towns.

"County government has become an unintended victim of the circuit-breaker impact," said Larry Blanchard, a former county councilman who works as a consultant for the Board of Commissioners. "The shortfall is devastating to our total operation and will only get worse with each passing budget-billing cycle."

The state Legislature enacted the caps in 2008, limiting an individual property owner's taxes to 1 percent of a home's assessed value, 2 percent of a rental property and 3 percent for other businesses, with the financially distressed city of Gary as the most notable exception.

The caps have made taxpayers' lives easier at the expense of Lake County's city and town halls, libraries, sanitary and water departments and township officials who have relied in previous years on those taxes to finance services.

The caps bite most deeply into the tax collection of Gary, East Chicago and Hammond, which will fall short by a combined $97 million this year.

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake ... z1aOhuL7uY

Yep, Michael Jackson parties, air shows, and free college tuition as a reward for paying your mortgage are worth it don't ya think folks?

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Let's not forget mayor mcdermott'S concessions to big business at the expense of the taxpayers and death of small family owned establishments.

Tom still won't disclose cost on the give aways, charter school etc.

xmpt · **Joined:** Tue Nov 21, 2006 7:29 am **Posts:** 989

Moby, College Bound funding does not come from property taxes. Unless you want the city of Hammond to give that equivalent to Lowell your understanding of that article is flawed.

Concessions? You mean providing infrastructure?

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

xmpt wrote:

Moby, College Bound funding does not come from property taxes. Unless you want the city of Hammond to give that equivalent to Lowell your understanding of that article is flawed.

Concessions? You mean providing infrastructure?

Moby that money illegally comes from diversion of casino funds. Tax $ to be used for infrastructure.

Moby Grape · **Joined:** Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:19 pm **Posts:** 13802

justcallmetommy wrote:

Moby that money illegally comes from diversion of casino funds. Tax $ to be used for infrastructure.

Any comments xmpt?

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Moby Grape wrote:

justcallmetommy wrote:

Moby that money illegally comes from diversion of casino funds. Tax $ to be used for infrastructure.

Any comments xmpt?

College Bound, Legal Clinic, Festival of the Lakes, money given to attornies for undocumented legal services, even $$$$$ going for the Henry Units Overtime .... come from casino moneys. This diversion is actually an illegal use of casino money.

X and edge are very quite on this one.

Neometric · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:29 pm **Posts:** 630

"County government has become an unintended victim of the circuit-breaker impact," said Larry Blanchard, a former county councilman who works as a consultant for the Board of Commissioners. "The shortfall is devastating to our total operation and will only get worse with each passing budget-billing cycle."

It's so nice of Larry to sound the alarm, now that he's out of office and enjoying a government consulting contract. Like everyone else sounding an alarm, where's the solution. What's Larry got for a solution?

We all know the problem. Can the new consultant to the county commissioners advise on realistic course of actions or positions?

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

Neometric wrote:

"County government has become an unintended victim of the circuit-breaker impact," said Larry Blanchard, a former county councilman who works as a consultant for the Board of Commissioners. "The shortfall is devastating to our total operation and will only get worse with each passing budget-billing cycle."

It's so nice of Larry to sound the alarm, now that he's out of office and enjoying a government consulting contract. Like everyone else sounding an alarm, where's the solution. What's Larry got for a solution?

We all know the problem. Can the new consultant to the county commissioners advise on realistic course of actions or positions?

You missed a whole section of that article pal, it also discussed how municipal incentives given to corporations to relocate with in their boundaries, are giving consessions which adversely affect the County and other municipalities. The article clearly says this must stop and that the municipalities involved should consult the surrounding communities.

The article as such appeared to be directed at McDermott.

xmpt · **Joined:** Tue Nov 21, 2006 7:29 am **Posts:** 989

justcallmetommy wrote:

xmpt wrote:

Moby, College Bound funding does not come from property taxes. Unless you want the city of Hammond to give that equivalent to Lowell your understanding of that article is flawed.

Concessions? You mean providing infrastructure?

Moby that money illegally comes from diversion of casino funds. Tax $ to be used for infrastructure.

Moby Grape wrote:

justcallmetommy wrote:

Moby that money illegally comes from diversion of casino funds. Tax $ to be used for infrastructure.

Any comments xmpt?

Yes. He is full of sh!t and he knows it. The gaming money has always been intended to be used for infrastructure. As for College Bound that argument came and went with an apology from the State Auditors claiming it was akin to the "sidewalks for votes" scandal when it was first introduced. Nice try Chuck but your memory is stunted.

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

xmpt wrote:

justcallmetommy wrote:

xmpt wrote:

Moby, College Bound funding does not come from property taxes. Unless you want the city of Hammond to give that equivalent to Lowell your understanding of that article is flawed.

Concessions? You mean providing infrastructure?

Moby that money illegally comes from diversion of casino funds. Tax $ to be used for infrastructure.

Moby Grape wrote:

justcallmetommy wrote:

Moby that money illegally comes from diversion of casino funds. Tax $ to be used for infrastructure.

Any comments xmpt?

Yes. He is full of sh!t and he knows it. The gaming money has always been intended to be used for infrastructure. As for College Bound that argument came and went with an apology from the State Auditors claiming it was akin to the "sidewalks for votes" scandal when it was first introduced. Nice try Chuck but your memory is stunted.

Mikie. You really have a thing for chuckie. You must really be threatened.

Btw were u involved with harassing freetime. Weren't you also named in her litigation?

xmpt · **Joined:** Tue Nov 21, 2006 7:29 am **Posts:** 989

How childish to try and spin the topic off course. You know there is no truth to your above statements so now you completely change the subject back to freetime, pitiful. Aren't you the one with all the Federal connections and all the sources. You know who was named in the litigation since you spent so much time with her.

Moby feel free to jump back in, you asked for a comment and you got it.

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

xmpt wrote:

How childish to try and spin the topic off course. You know there is no truth to your above statements so now you completely change the subject back to freetime, pitiful. Aren't you the one with all the Federal connections and all the sources. You know who was named in the litigation since you spent so much time with her.

Moby feel free to jump back in, you asked for a comment and you got it.

Are u not the little man who along with your boss picked up the name of a little girl (speaking of hiding behind a skirt) picking on a woman making late night phone calls to harass free.

Aren't you Quite the little man hiding behind a screen name harassing free.

What a puts. What kind of man does that?

A Pathetic little man?

Using your anonominity to support a man, a elected official who can't fight his own battles and must rely on the basement boys who picked on a handicapped woman.

Feared a fire department that was sent to save her.

Why not work on assuring there are 4 men responding fire rigs. Had there bee appropriate staffing levels free might be alive. Are Your worried you'll wind up with out a job.

Absolutely no report to the tax payers on a forensic review to prevent another fire death.
Pathetic Mr littleman.

xmpt · **Joined:** Tue Nov 21, 2006 7:29 am **Posts:** 989

justcallmetommy wrote:

xmpt wrote:

How childish to try and spin the topic off course. You know there is no truth to your above statements so now you completely change the subject back to freetime, pitiful. Aren't you the one with all the Federal connections and all the sources. You know who was named in the litigation since you spent so much time with her.

Moby feel free to jump back in, you asked for a comment and you got it.

Are u not the little man who along with your boss picked up the name of a little girl (speaking of hiding behind a skirt) picking on a woman making late night phone calls to harass free.

Aren't you Quite the little man hiding behind a screen name harassing free.

What a puts. What kind of man does that?

A Pathetic little man?

Using your anonominity to support a man, a elected official who can't fight his own battles and must rely on the basement boys who picked on a handicapped woman.

Feared a fire department that was sent to save her.

Why not work on assuring there are 4 men responding fire rigs. Had there bee appropriate staffing levels free might be alive. Are Your worried you'll wind up with out a job.

Absolutely no report to the tax payers on a forensic review to prevent another fire death.
Pathetic Mr littleman.

Wow must have hit a nerve. I know whenever you get completely lost you bring up freetime. I know you miss her.

No as I have been telling you I am not Mikie or councilman or the chief either but why should you start paying attention now.

Freetimes delusional thinking was of her own doing and as I recall she could throw out the crap much better then you.

Just what was forensics going to prove and why do you keep bringing up the deceased. The State was brought in and they concluded what everyone that doesn't have an agenda knows. It was an unfortunate accident due to a extension cord. Believe me I would much rather be debating her then you.

Now you may continue to spin away.

justcallmetommy · **Joined:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:25 pm **Posts:** 5662

I'll post her law suit for you.

xmpt · **Joined:** Tue Nov 21, 2006 7:29 am **Posts:** 989

Just ask Curt for the transcripts.

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Big city tax rates bleed into rest of Lake county

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