From the Northwest Indiana Times:
The city is facing a larger-than-expected budget shortfall over the next year, but Mayor Joe Stahura said a number of actions are planned to minimize the pain.
The city's assessed valuation is expected to increase $20 million for 2012, Stahura told residents at his annual public forum Wednesday night at the Whiting Community Center.
However, a deficit of as much as $1 million was calculated when state regulators reviewed the tax collection and budget numbers, Stahura said.
"We've been there before," Stahura said about the combination of constitutional property tax caps and a state-mandated levy freeze, which has starved all Lake County communities for the past five years.
"I think we have enough tricks in the bag to get through this year," he said.
Revenue from the BP refinery's $3.8 billion expansion project, though not yet on the tax rolls, will slowly grow, he said.
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To avoid layoffs of employees, some municipally-owned buildings may be leased or sold, Stahura said. Changes in operations at the community center — which costs the city $500,000 each year — are being considered.
"We have no intention of closing this building or selling this building," Stahura said of the classic recreation center built by Standard Oil Company in 1923. "But we're going to have to get creative."
Other plans include a possible increase in fines for city ordinance violations and cuts in the number of students hired by the city over the summer, he said.
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http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/whiting/whiting-mayor-optimistic-in-face-of-budget-shortfall/article_2b97039b-520d-5ba9-b535-221320f8cd21.html
