The 71 take-home cars the city of Hammond has owned up to are not just for police officers.
Here is just a sampling of city employees who have take-home cars:
Assistant City Engineer
Assistant Chief Drillmaster, Fire
Battalion Chief Mechanic, Fire
City Controller
Administrator, Park Department
Superintendent, Park Department
Special Events Coordinator, Park Department
General Foreman, Park Department
Recreation Director, Park Department
Assistant Recreation Director, Park Department
Foreman, Park Department
Community Development Director, Planning Department*
Executive Director, Planning Department
Director of Economic Development*
General Foreman, Sanitation
Traffic Foremen, Street Department
Sergeant, Emergency Management
Corporal, Emergency Management
Assistant Director, Emergency Management
Foremen, Street Department
*Leasing a 2008 Chevy Impala at a cost of $380.43/month for 36 months.
Now, really. Why does the City Controller need a take-home car? Does the controller get called out in the middle of the night to verify accounting figures?
Why does Street Department Foreman Al Salinas, who double dips as 2nd District Councilman, need to drive a 2008 Chevy Silverado with tricked-out wheels?
Why do the Community Development Director and the Director of Economic Development need to drive leased vehicles? Can't they drive their own cars and get reimbursed for mileage like they do in the real world of business?
And what about the Park Department? The Recreation Director, Assistant Recreation Director, and Special Events Coordinator have take-home cars. What the heck for? Why does anybody in the Park Department need a take-home car? The Hammond parks close at dusk.
Team Hammond supports 4th District Councilwoman Kim Poland's ordinance to curb this frivolous and unnecessary expense.
Her ordinance is justified. Especially in these economic times.