Northwest Indiana Discussion

Should voters demand that their employees, elected representatives, starting with council members take a minimum 5 percent pay reduction, since they haven’t stepped forward?

Resident hopes to draw more volunteers for M'ville fundraising effort

By Chas Reilly
MERRILLVILLE | A Merrillville resident looking to collect donations for the cash-strapped town is hoping she can generate more involvement in her committee.

Kelly Foley said she is planning to meet with residents sometime next week to discuss plans for walking through neighborhoods to seek donations for the town from Merrillville businesses and citizens.

About $300 in donations has been dropped off at the clerk-treasurer's office since Foley began her fundraising efforts, Clerk-Treasurer Eugene Guernsey said.

The amount may be low, but Foley remains confident she can collect more money for Merrillville and get additional residents involved in the campaign.

She said her committee hasn't started canvassing neighborhoods yet because she needs to decide on a proper way to ensure all the money collected is accounted for.

Foley decided to start the fundraising because the Lake County Council has refused to adopt a local income tax and the Indiana General Assembly passed a law in 2007 freezing the county's property tax levy until officials approve such an income tax.

Because of Merrillville's financial situation, town leaders currently are considering requiring town employees to take five unpaid days off work.

The Town Council hasn't actually approved the furloughs, but staff at the clerk-treasurer's office chose to voluntarily take unpaid time off.

At a council meeting last week, many town residents opposed having police officers take furlough days because they think it could cause public safety issues. Foley thinks the discussions of furloughs could generate more interest in her committee and possibly more donations for the town.

Is there any council in Lake County that has agreed to a pay-cut before Fire Fighters and Policeman are layed off?

Just get the street department to work harder. I'll bet you could get the same amount of work done in four days.

Our town cut the police departments longevity and a few jobs. They also implemented a hiring freeze, cut out a money losing town fest and had no fireworks this year. I don't think going out and asking business men and citizens for any money is the answer. Kinda ignorant when people shell out quite a bit of money in their property taxes. Smaller government is the best answer IMO.

Cities or towns standards of living are based in-part on the services provided… police, fire, garbage collection, healthcare etc. If a recommendation to cut, service personnel without looking at those setting in elected office taking the first pay reduction who interest is being served?