The city can't afford bus service or health care but can afford fish for a salt-water aquarium.
You've got to be kidding, right?
On October 24, 2008, a claim was submitted to the city council in the amount of $423.00 for purchases made at Pet Playground, 6944 Kennedy Avenue.
A variety of tropical fish (Black Bar Soldier, Yellow Angel, 2 Bluefin Damsels, Pajama Cardinals) were purchased for a salt-water aquarium.
Further investigation revealed claims in 2006 for $2,239.35, in 2007 for $3,693.95 and in 2008 (up until October) for $2,766.50 for fish, salt and other aquarium-related items. This comes to a grand total of $8,699.80!
Where did the money come from to pay for the $8,699.80 in fish and aquarium supplies? The mayor's discretionary gaming fund. Contrary to what the mayor believes; gaming revenue is still taxpayers' money!
Hammond citizens will lose their ability to get to work, the doctor or grocery shop when bus service is cut as of June 30, 2009 but hey! the mayor has a beautiful salt-water aquarium with tropical fish for him to enjoy.
Well you know what they say, it's all about the RIGHT PRIORITIES!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
CITY COUNCIL NIXES PARITY CLAUSE
At Monday night's Hammond City Council meeting, council members approved a heavily amended 2009 city budget.
Missing from the budget was the clause which would have raised Fire Chief Dave Hamm's salary to parity with Police Chief Brian Miller's salary. In Mayor McDermott's proposed 2009 city budget submitted in August, Hamm's annual salary would have jumped from $70,000 to $82,400. Hamm's salary was bumped back down to $72,100 after the city council nixed the request.
McDermott argued that the city council was risking a $250,000 lawsuit for violating the firefighters' contract requirements; however, Council President Dan Repay said the city council had agreed to give all city employees a 3 percent raise. The issue was a matter of fairness.
"If Dave Hamm wants to sue us, that's a chance we'll have to take," Councilwoman JoAnn Matanovich said.
Had the City Council voted down the amended budget, they would have had until December 1 (state deadline for 2009 budgets) to meet in a special session. Otherwise, the budget submitted to the state would have been at the amount submitted in September. (Is this a good thing or a bad thing for taxpayers? What is the difference in the two amounts?)
The issue first came up in February with a city ordinance to achieve parity between the Fire Chief and Police Chief. The ordinance was rejected by failure of the council to bring it to a vote.
If the mayor declines to sign off on the budget, the 2009 budget would revert back to the 2008 budget amount.
Missing from the budget was the clause which would have raised Fire Chief Dave Hamm's salary to parity with Police Chief Brian Miller's salary. In Mayor McDermott's proposed 2009 city budget submitted in August, Hamm's annual salary would have jumped from $70,000 to $82,400. Hamm's salary was bumped back down to $72,100 after the city council nixed the request.
McDermott argued that the city council was risking a $250,000 lawsuit for violating the firefighters' contract requirements; however, Council President Dan Repay said the city council had agreed to give all city employees a 3 percent raise. The issue was a matter of fairness.
"If Dave Hamm wants to sue us, that's a chance we'll have to take," Councilwoman JoAnn Matanovich said.
Had the City Council voted down the amended budget, they would have had until December 1 (state deadline for 2009 budgets) to meet in a special session. Otherwise, the budget submitted to the state would have been at the amount submitted in September. (Is this a good thing or a bad thing for taxpayers? What is the difference in the two amounts?)
The issue first came up in February with a city ordinance to achieve parity between the Fire Chief and Police Chief. The ordinance was rejected by failure of the council to bring it to a vote.
If the mayor declines to sign off on the budget, the 2009 budget would revert back to the 2008 budget amount.
LAKE COUNTY BUDGET CUTTING TO CONTINUE
During the next two weeks, the Lake County Council will schedule four meetings to finalize a 2009 cost-cutting budget.
Budget workshop sessions are scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, November 21, 10 a.m. Saturday, November 22, and 5:30 p.m. Monday, November 24. The final meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25 and will be for the second and final reading of the 2009 budget.
County council members said they are only two-thirds of the way to cutting $15 million from current spending levels. This amount must be cut from the budget in response to declining property tax revenues imposed by the tax caps of House Bill 1001. A reduction of 66 full-time jobs has already been pledged by county officials.
Christine Cid, Lake County Council President, said she will make new public recommendations shortly regarding the sheriff, coroner and assessor offices.
In September, Sheriff Roy Domingues announced 48 payroll positions would be lifted from the
county tax levy. This would be achieved through job elimination, privatization and a new eviction fee landlords must now pay resulting in a savings of $2 million.
In her opinion, Cid said the sheriff's cost-cutting measures weren't enough. Cid has already said if certain county departments don't make the required budget cuts, the county council will do it for them.
Budget workshop sessions are scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, November 21, 10 a.m. Saturday, November 22, and 5:30 p.m. Monday, November 24. The final meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25 and will be for the second and final reading of the 2009 budget.
County council members said they are only two-thirds of the way to cutting $15 million from current spending levels. This amount must be cut from the budget in response to declining property tax revenues imposed by the tax caps of House Bill 1001. A reduction of 66 full-time jobs has already been pledged by county officials.
Christine Cid, Lake County Council President, said she will make new public recommendations shortly regarding the sheriff, coroner and assessor offices.
In September, Sheriff Roy Domingues announced 48 payroll positions would be lifted from the
county tax levy. This would be achieved through job elimination, privatization and a new eviction fee landlords must now pay resulting in a savings of $2 million.
In her opinion, Cid said the sheriff's cost-cutting measures weren't enough. Cid has already said if certain county departments don't make the required budget cuts, the county council will do it for them.