Valpo gets good news in EDIT, parking budgets

VALPARAISO | Although property tax collections remained lower than was levied, not all the financial news was bad at Monday's council meeting.

Valpo to hire strategic plan consultant soon

VALPARAISO | The city expects to announce the hiring of a consultant to oversee the yearlong process of developing a strategic plan for Valparaiso covering decades into the future.

Valpo to get snow plow from INDOT for $1

VALPARAISO | As part of the agreement between the city and the Indiana Department of Transportation turning over care of Lincolnway to the city, the state promised the city a snow plow to help with the maintenance.

Valpo finding ways to reduce employees' insurance costs

VALPARAISO | A public hearing on the city's proposed 2013 budget at Monday's council meeting turned into a presentation of what the administration is doing to try to ease the impact of changes in the employees' health insurance plan.

High costs force Valpo to halt self-insurance program

VALPARAISO | After Saturday, the city of Valparaiso will no longer be self-insured.

High health care costs giving Valpo fiscal headache

VALPARAISO | The city is having such a bad year with health care costs that it's, well, sickening.

Valpo bolsters health insurance with extra EDIT cash

VALPARAISO | When the state "found" about $3 million in county income tax revenue that was not distributed to the local taxing bodies, Valparaiso had no trouble figuring out where its share would do the most good.

Valpo to aid museum facade improvement

VALPARAISO | With donations expected to pay for the Orville Redenbacher sculpture in Central Park Plaza, the money set aside for it instead will be used to help remodel the former police station for use as the county museum.

Valpo happy with bond refinancing savings

VALPARAISO | The city knew is was going to save a good deal of money by refinancing a pair of bond issues, but it didn't know it would save this much.

Porter County historical roads given star treatment in film

VALPARAISO | Three Porter County roads have starring roles in a 90-minute IMAX film featuring some of the state's historical highways.

Valpo survives low tax collections by underspending

VALPARAISO | Somehow the city was able to make more with less in 2011.

Valpo is flush with riverboat casino cash

VALPARAISO | Don't bet that Porter County officials aren't glad to have casino gambling in Northwest Indiana.

Costas cites teamwork as he begins new term

VALPARAISO | Jon Costas was sworn in for the third time as mayor of Valparaiso in a noon ceremony Sunday at City Hall.

Valpo OKs borrowing to pay 2012 bills

VALPARAISO | The city's $3.7 million rainy day fund isn't enough to pay to run the government until the first property taxes are received next year, so the city is planning to borrow to make ends meet.

Valpo makes plans to borrow in January

VALPARAISO | As its Rainy Day Fund increases, the city hopes to borrow less -- or not at all -- at the start of each year to meet operating expenses until it receives its first property taxes of the new year.

Valpo OKs nail salon facade grant

VALPARAISO | The city's downtown facade grant program has been very successful and, as far as the City Council was concerned Monday, very confusing.

Valpo to ask state for increase in property tax levy

VALPARAISO | The City Council approved a 2012 budget Monday and at the same time adopted a resolution to ask the state Department of Local Government Finance for more money.

Fate of Valpo war monument in limbo

VALPARAISO | A simple suggestion that Porter County's historical society might want to preserve a Civil War monument apparently has turned into a tale that it will be destroyed if it isn't moved.