Hammond Employee Fowler Lies on WJOB

freetime · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:08 pm

Hammond Recycling Department Foreman Steve Fowler lied on his paid WJOB show tonight about the details of a huge rental registration fee hike sought by the McDermott administration and sponsored by Dan Repay.

Here is what a story By Jeff Burton on nwi.com today says. The proposed annual fee would go from $10 to $120 PER UNIT. That's how the city registers rentals now. It's PER UNIT:

Hammond council members have been poised to vote on a proposal that would sharply increase fees charged to the city's landlords for the registration and inspection of rental units.

That ordinance, also sponsored by Repay, would increase the $10 fee to $120 per unit and require annual inspections of properties, ensuring residents' safety

But Fowler said anyone who says the higher fees will be per unit is spreading misinformation. He told a caller who owns a multi-unit building that it would only be $120 PER BUILDING. The per-unit cost would be minimal. he said. The caller was happy.
Problem is, Fowler was telling a LIE. He even tripped himself up on the lie. He went on to say to the caller the fee increase is really intended to combat cut-up single-family homes. Do you wonder how would that work? Well, he said "What'll it cost them, like $500 for the 4 units in the building?"
So which is it Steve? I KNOW what it is, but I'm not on the radio, with city funded sponsorships.
You should buy some time from Jed out of your own pocket to broadcast a correction.

I hope the rumor I heard that a landlord with many units in the city has filed some legal action to stop this outrageous increase is true. I've complained that Hammond Code Enforcement, which would benefit from the new revenue, shouldn't get a penny more at least until it obeys a city law requiring it to keep public records of all current department activities and inspections.

RebelWithoutACause · **Joined:** Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:00 pm **Posts:** 70

Yes. I think Steve Fowler is correct. That is what he said. I checked with Mr. Repay and he also said that Steve Fowler is correct and you are mistaken Freetime.

RebelWithoutACause · **Joined:** Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:00 pm **Posts:** 70

I also checked with code enforcement and they said they are legal. It's all good.

USMarine · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:55 am **Posts:** 10483

That doesn't make any sense.

If a single family home is legally cut into 4 rental properties and Fowler claims they'll pay $500 and a unit that was actually designed as a rental property and has 4 units will only pay $120, that is clearly illegal. If both units are legally designated as rental property then both have to be charged the same amount (i.e. per unit or per building) whether they are a rental property that was once a single family residence or if they are a building with 500 units.

You can't charge one rental property a certain amount and charge another a different amount based on what you like or dislike.

Well, you can but there will be some lawsuits coming that's for sure.

RebelWithoutACause · **Joined:** Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:00 pm **Posts:** 70

No. I checked and it"s okay.

USMarine · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:55 am **Posts:** 10483

No. It's not legal and it doesn't make any snese.

RebelWithoutACause · **Joined:** Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:00 pm **Posts:** 70

I checked. It's legal.

USMarine · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:55 am **Posts:** 10483

No it's not.

RebelWithoutACause · **Joined:** Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:00 pm **Posts:** 70

Yeah. I think you are wrong. Fowler said it was legal. It's okay.

USMarine · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:55 am **Posts:** 10483

Oh well...why didn't you say so?

I didn't realize that Fowler was attending law school while waiting tables at Denny's before he was flushing sewers for living.

My bad.

hammonite · **Joined:** Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:58 pm **Posts:** 762

All these a$$ hls want to do is bury the post. I read through the entire ordinance. They want to charge $120 per unit.

Fowler didn't know his a@@ from a @le in the ground.

BTY, This is the first time I have listened to his show in several weeks, I sorta thought it was exceptionally funny, 4 online listeners today. The calls to the show were pathetic.

It was a radio show where he was talking to himself, spouting lies...

freetime · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:04 pm

I'm really starting to resent the city entities who are using public funds to sponsor Fowler's show.
I love WJOB and don't blame the owner for wanting to make a buck, but geez Louise it's getting out of hand.
Sorry Jed but Fowler's blatant lies really frosted me today. It was just boring when it was bad jokes and weird news :evil:

sparks · **Joined:** Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:17 pm **Posts:** 3800

freetime wrote:

I'm really starting to resent the city entities who are using public funds to sponsor Fowler's show.
I love WJOB and don't blame the owner for wanting to make a buck, but geez Louise it's getting out of hand.
Sorry Jed but Fowler's blatant lies really frosted me today. It was just boring when it was bad jokes and weird news :evil:

here's a news flash, if you don't like his show, don't listen to it.Problem solved!

may1846 · **Joined:** Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:24 pm **Posts:** 632

freetime wrote:

I'm really starting to resent the city entities who are using public funds to sponsor Fowler's show.
I love WJOB and don't blame the owner for wanting to make a buck, but geez Louise it's getting out of hand.
Sorry Jed but Fowler's blatant lies really frosted me today. It was just boring when it was bad jokes and weird news :evil:

As opposed to The Preacher's truth fest? His stories have holes you could walk through.

freetime · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:05 am

If he or strictly private businesses were paying for that show, fine, just turn it off. Gladly.
But some of the ":sponsors" are spending public funds on it. As a Hammond resident, I have a stake in those funds.
I don't believe feeding misinformation to others on pending legislation in Hammond is a proper use of my money!

Northwest Indiana Discussion

Hammond Employee Fowler Lies on WJOB

Who is online