About 65 people attended the Team Hammond Taxpayers Group meeting on Tuesday night at the Woodmar United Methodist Church.
During the introduction, Jim Premeske displayed documents obtained from county officials dispelling accusations originating from the mayor's supporters.
Featured guest speaker Mary Ellen Slazyk gave a brief history of school construction in the School City of Hammond and an update on the new high school. The School City currently has a construction bond debt of $289 million dollars. Add the cost of the new high school, remodeling of Gavit, and interest of $70 million, and the school city is looking at construction bond debt of nearly half a billion dollars. Ms. Slazyk also touched on the remonstrance petition. The next school board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, at the administration center. She encouraged everyone to attend and let the school board and administrators know they do not support a new high school when the school city is already swimming in debt.
A preview of the 2008 May 6th primary was the next order of business. Jim Premeske went over sample ballots of both Republican and Democratic candidates giving critiques of primary candidates, their past legislative records and any other noteworthy items of interest. He stressed it was important to get the word out about voting for quality candidates who are interested in real reform.
Candidates John Garcia, Nancy Moore Tiller, Raymond Fletcher, Cy Huerter, Fernando Urzua and George Janiec also were given time to speak about their candidacies and their platforms. They all spoke about the need for streamlining government, cutting unnecessary expenses, and making property tax reform permanent. They also talked about becoming more accountable to the voters who elect them. Wes Miller, Founder of Team Hammond, and Janet Venecz, wife of Hammond Democratic Chairman, Phil Venecz, were also in attendance on Tuesday night supporting Team Hammond's goals of good government and property tax reform.
Forming a Lake County Tax Alliance made up of interested citizens throughout Lake County was also brought up. The local option income tax will come before the county council before year's end, and citizens will especially need to put pressure on County Council members Tom O'Donnell and Ted Bilski to vote against the income tax. No matter what part of Lake County a person is from, it is time to band together to fight against the income tax in addition to more permanent property tax reform.
Remember, if you want real change, you have to change the way you vote on Tuesday, May 6th!
Just because someone is an incumbent doesn't automatically make them the more qualified candidate. Vote for the candidate who will best serve YOU and not the special interest groups, lobbyists and the party machine. YOU deserve better!