Despite bounty of new taxes, Lake County debt looms large

CROWN POINT | Lake County could be on the receiving end of an $18 million tax windfall next year.

Scheub parts company with Democratic Party boss

CROWN POINT | Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub, D-Crown Point, and Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., the Democratic county chairman, have become estranged over the county income tax.

E-911 becoming Lake County's squawk box

ST. JOHN | Efforts to open a clear line of communication among Lake County's police and firefighters were troubled by static over government policy Wednesday.

Lake spending remains on hold while impact of income tax is measured

CROWN POINT | Lake County Council members remained cautious about future spending requests Tuesday despite last week's passage of the local option income tax that promises tens of million of dollars in new revenues.

Cal. Twp. trustee may lose both Griffith, checkbook

CROWN POINT | Calumet Township Trustee Mary Elgin faces the prospect of having to slash at least $1.7 million, if not millions more, from a poor relief program that sustains thousands of Gary's neediest, but is accused of smothering Griffith's taxpayers.

Police find guns, body armor in Marktown house where suspect died

EAST CHICAGO | Lake County police said Saturday their officers recovered a number of firearms and body armor from a Marktown home where a Winfield man took his life when officers attempted to arrest him in connection with an Orland Park home invasion.

Lake councilwoman retracts allegation she was offered job to vote for tax

HAMMOND | Lake County Councilwoman Christine Cid has apologized for falsely telling a WJOB radio audience Friday morning that Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. offered her a job to change her vote in favor of a county income tax.

Lake County will start collecting local income tax this fall

The Lake County Council passed a 1.5 percent income tax Monday night, and county commissioners declined to veto it Friday morning, setting in motion the new tax's gears.

Tax sails; veto fails

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Commissioners refused Friday morning to veto a local income tax.

The tax that took Lake by surprise

CROWN POINT | Friday's passage of a Lake County income tax relieved supporters, disgusted opponents, and amazed everyone following the impassioned debate.

Lowell quarry developer digs court victory

LOWELL | A proposed limestone quarry east of Lowell moved one step closer to reality Thursday after the Indiana Court of Appeals buried a suit to stop its groundbreaking.

Federal inspectors gave Lake County Jail good marks, sheriff says

CROWN POINT | Federal inspectors gave Sheriff John Buncich credit for new improvements in health care for Lake County Jail inmates.

Impending Lake Co. income tax veto frightens off spending spree

CROWN POINT | Austerity fell like a ton of bricks Thursday morning on Lake County officials as they contemplated running county government without a county income tax.

Lake taxpayers get extended hours as Friday's deadline approaches

CROWN POINT | Lake County Treasurer John Petalas said his office will have extended hours to accommodate last-minute taxpayers.

Lake income tax unlikely to survive expected veto

CROWN POINT | Lake County Councilwoman Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, said Tuesday she won't rescue the county income tax if it's vetoed later this week.

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A story in Tuesday's editions of The Times should have identified Lake County Councilman David Hamm as a Hammond Democrat.

Lake County Council passes income tax

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Council passed a county income tax Monday.

Lake income tax vaguely promises property tax relief

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials insist a local income tax scheduled for a vote Monday would bring property tax relief — but not to all and not a dollar-for-dollar reduction.

New broom sweeps clean in Lake recorder's office

CROWN POINT | Lake County Recorder Mike Brown said he wants to reduce foot traffic into his office by having all services available online by next year.

Munster woman says tax officials miscounted condo bedrooms

CROWN POINT | You can't judge a Munster woman's condominium by its current assessed value.

Lake E-911 officials plan summit meeting

CROWN POINT | Lake County elected officials and public safety leaders are scheduled to meet Thursday to iron out policy differences arising from the consolidation of the county's E-911 networks.

Councilwoman to listen to Lake constituents at weekend tax forum

HIGHLAND | Lake County Councilwoman Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, will hold an information forum this weekend on a proposed county income tax.

Cedar Lake woman wins temporary reprieve from eviction

CEDAR LAKE | A 67-year-old blind woman who lost ownership of her home through a Lake County tax sale said she can remain temporarily, if she pays $300 a month in rent.

Winfield man overcomes tax appeal turbulence

CROWN POINT | A local pilot's spirits are soaring after Lake County officials expedited his property tax appeal and saved him more than $1,200.

Lake commissioners to hold tax veto meeting May 10

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners will be in a position to veto a local income tax next week if the County Council approves one.

Lake County officials on different wavelengths over E-911

CROWN POINT | Lake County elected officials and public safety leaders may be on a collision course over the necessity to spend tens of millions of dollars on new radio communications equipment to consolidate E-911 networks.

Libertarian Party opposes Lake income tax

ST. JOHN | The Lake County Libertarian Party is opposed to a county option income tax.

Anti-tax frustrations aired at Crown Point rally

CROWN POINT | Those who gathered Monday night for an anti-tax rally expressed more puzzlement than outrage.

Lake County income tax provokes more questions than answers

CROWN POINT | The local income tax the Lake County Council passed has raised questions, and fueled anger and confusion.

Lake County municipal officials turn to lenders for urban amenities

Lake County's streets are paved with loans.

Lake surveyor probes why Plum Creek retaining wall failed

DYER | The Lake County surveyor's office is investigating the failure of a reinforcement wall recently built along a stretch of Plum Creek.

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Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub, D-Crown Point, speaks with members of the public who gathered for a meeting to pass a local option income tax. The meeting was cancelled for lack of proper public notice. Scheub opposes the tax.

Lake income tax vote will wait for another day

CROWN POINT | False alarm. Lake will remain the only county in the state without a local option income tax, for at least a few more weeks.

Lake County rakes in $3M during three-day tax sale

CROWN POINT | The Lake County commissioners' spring tax sale closed Thursday after raking in $3,046,500 during three days.

Contractors learn to reduce erosion, pollution at job sites

DYER | Cleaner stormwater was the topic of a workshop this week attended by more than 100 Northwest Indiana builders and public officials.

Line of applicants grows for Lake County E-911 director

CROWN POINT | At least 46 people would like the job of directing the merger of Lake County's E-911 police and fire communications network.

C.P. woman starts anti-tax petition drive

CROWN POINT | A Crown Point political activist is gathering online petitions against a proposed Lake County income tax.

Lake County income tax vote moves to the fast lane

CROWN POINT | Pro-income tax members of the Lake County Council are hurrying to pass it before the end of the week.

Lake County tax sale off to a million-dollar start

CROWN POINT | The Lake County commissioners' spring tax sale gleaned $1,285,800 in its first day.

Income Tax Fact Sheet

Indiana Department of Revenue answer some questions about local option income taxes.

Computer error creates tax bill snafu

CROWN POINT | The Lake County treasurer said about 1,000 customers of First Midwest Bank shouldn't pay property tax bills they are receiving.

Lake County school construction built on red ink

CROWN POINT | Lake County's public school districts are carrying $1.8 billion in debt on their books.

Police investigating threat at Valpo Walmart

VALPARAISO | Walmart Supercenter employees evacuated customers from the store Friday night after receiving a bomb threat

Commissioners hire new E-911 consultant

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners hired a Merrillville accounting firm to calculate how much money each city and town will have to contribute to a consolidated E-911 communications network.

Cady Marsh Ditch polluted by lubricant, EPA officials report

CROWN POINT | Lake County Surveyor George Van Til said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reported progress in identifying and remedying the leak of a lubricant that pooled last week in a north county storm water drainage ditch.

Nonpartisan group to rally April 29 against Lake County income tax

CROWN POINT | A group of political activists plans to hold a taxpayer rally later this month to protest the adoption of a local income tax.

Lake County flood control projects at risk of fiscal crisis

CROWN POINT | The Lake County surveyor is making his case for spending some of the millions of dollars a Lake County income tax could raise on flood-control protection.

Munster school referendum voters reported tardy

CROWN POINT | Voter interest appears tepid in the first week of the early voting period for the Munster school referendum.

Lake juvenile venue remains up in the air

GARY | The wheels of justice are grinding too slowly for Gary, East Chicago and the NAACP lawyers who want Lake Juvenile Court child support hearings returned to Gary.