The Hammond City Council adopted a resolution opposing the 1.5 percent Lake County income tax Monday.
The vote was 7-2 with Councilmen Jack Uylaki, D- 2nd, and Mark Kalwinski, D-1st, voting against the resolution.
The resolution states, "Imposing the proposed county income tax would shift the burden from industrial and commercial tax payers to ordinary individuals, causing hardships for many elderly and impoverished citizens."
The tax increase was approved in May by the Lake County Council by a 4-3 vote and will go into effect in October after the Lake County Board of Commissioners failed to veto the measure.
Bob Markovich, D-at large, sponsored of the resolution opposing the tax. He said though the income tax increase has been passed, many other area city councils have either passed a resolution against it or made a statement in favor of the ordinance.
"As an elected official, people have been calling me about this, and I have to represent my constituents," Markovich told The Times before the meeting. "Everybody's mad about it."
This was the fourth time the tax increase came into the picture for a City Council vote. The vote has been on the agenda, but has not been put to a vote because of various circumstances, including a meeting cancellation, no support from other members to bring the issue to vote and absent council members.
"This vote came up months ago, and for whatever reason it didn't happen," Councilman Anthony Higgs, D-3rd said at the meeting. "Either way I was prepared before to vote for or against it then."
Instead of an increase in income tax, the resolution proposes the county should reduce budget spending and eliminate spending where possible. The resolution also states the council should resist coercion by pro-business members of the state Legislature.
Markovich cited a case that has been filed in Lake County Surperior Court in which two people are contesting the legality of the income tax increase.
The increase is expected to generate more than $90 million to be disbursed throughout Lake County. Hammond is anticipating to receive nearly $7 million in new revenue from the tax.
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