From the Northwest Indiana Times:
A wrap-up of the 2013 state legislative session and how it will affect Gary was provided on Thursday by elected representatives at Ivy Tech Community College.
Hosted by the Gary Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee and Ivy Tech, the session featured a panel of state Sens. Earline Rogers, D-Gary; Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago; state Reps. Vernon Smith, D-Gary; Charlie Brown, D-Gary; Lake County Councilman Jerome Prince and Gary Common Council President Kyle Allen.
In addition to the legislative session, topics included the recent passing of the Lake County income tax, in which Gary will receive in aggregate $12 million a year.
Allen said he would like to see a change in the law on how Gary funds its $3.5 million obligation to the Northwest Indiana Redevelopment Authority, which currently comes out of gaming revenue. He said he would like to use the CEDIT portion of the Lake County income tax that Gary would receive to pay the RDA.
If the RDA obligation continues to come from the gaming revenue, “which goes up and down,” Allen said, and Chicago gets a casino, it would have a negative impact on Gary, Hammond and East Chicago.
Allen said the County Economic Development Income Tax would provide a more stable funding source for the RDA and remove pressure from gaming revenue.
Allen also said revenue from the new Lake County income tax could be used to pay city firemen who were kept from being laid off due to a federal government grant that will soon expire.
“The federal government will step back, and we will have to fund those positions,” he said.
Allen also said the gaming revenue, if freed up from the RDA, could go toward infrastructure like curbs, sidewalks, streets, lighting and sewers.
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The panel also discussed HB-1585, known as “The Griffith Bill” that would require Calumet Township to trim its assistance property tax rate to 12 percent of the state average.
Rogers said it was public policy she thought Indiana would never involve itself in and said it could have a domino effect on other townships.
Smith called the bill “dangerous to society.”
“We must provide for the least among us,” he said.
Panelists also expressed their pleasure with the passing of SB-585, “The Gary Bill,” which increases the maximum property tax levy of the city and requires a feasibility study of a locally-based trauma center.
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/elected-officials-discuss-state-legislative-session/article_e0401e62-4a80-59d8-acb0-0b09826d76fb.html
