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- Mayor McDermott's Building Department, City Attorney Kantar, and the Board of Public Works and Safety are on a rampage, demolishing properties in an effort to rid the city of renters. Contract after contract for $100,000 plus have been awarded to JM Wrecking, JM Construction, and J&M Industrial Services (all one owner) year after year. City Attorney Kantar bragged in a Times article about the city's demolition of 100 properties last year and their goal to demolish double (200) properties this year. At roughly $7,000 a demo, that's 2 million dollars in two years. The city pays for the demos (Does someone get a kickback from the favored JM Wrecking) and the city puts a lien on the owner of the nearly worthless piece of land. How much of that money will be recouped? In addition, the property taxes on these properties drop from between $1,500 - $3,000 to a few hundred. For 300 properties that's between $360,000 - $780,000 in annual tax revenue. That doesn't count all the properties demolished in the 5 years prior to this. Kantar was quoted in a Times article stating that the 100 rentals demo'ed last year got rid of 100 places for "bad guys to hide." Does Mayor McDermott also think renters are bad guys/criminals? Chief of Inspections, Jim Callahan was quoted in the Times about the need to be tough because of "Changing Demographics" When he says demographics is he talking about race? As a former renter in Hammond, I'm disgusted. Don't let them fool you with their "SAFETY" campaign. I know firsthand all of these properties were not unsafe. I have pictures of several to prove it. They say they are concerned for renters' safety, but they mention no concern for their homelessness!!!!!!!!!! Also, your being fooled if you think it is only slumlord properties that are getting the wrecking ball. Homes owned by Hammond citizens are getting the ax too and foreclosures that could be bought and rehabbed. Property owners are being robbed. Finally, get ready, the city will be tearing down a building owned by a group of doctors who want to turn it into a hospital. Unfortunately, the bank that was financing the deal went under. The doctors are still looking for financing (difficult in this economy) but the city doesn't care. They are "stealing" this property and will use Federal Stimulus $ for the $400,000 demolition. The building is assessed in Lake County for 3mil and pays $130,000 annual taxes. $50,000 goes to Hammond schools. Imagine the jobs and $ a new hospital would bring to Hammond. Why doesn't the city give the doctors time to ride out the bad economy, find funding, and build the hospital in Robertsdale? Because that would put a damper on McDermott, Dabertin, and the Redevelopment Commissions' plan to build houses on the land. They already own 5/6's of the land at the address, once they steal and demolish this building they'll be able to own it all. Goodbye Lake county tax base. The city of Hammond is demolition CRAZY.
- March 03, 2013 8:40 pm on McDermott speaks on proposed developments, Chicago casino impact
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