When municipal officials in Lake County talk honestly with each
other, they recognize the need to pursue at least some kind of
consolidation to cut expenses.
My wife and I are not rich. I spent my working career in various
full-time jobs, she as a stay-at-home mother, so we were a
one-income family. We had a son, raised him, provided for his
college education, etc. We managed to scrape together some extra
cash to purchase a small two-bedroom house in Highland and rented
the house out for many years and had many really great tenants.
When I tried to contact Evan Bayh's Senate office last week for
some information and perhaps a brief interview, I knew something
was up. It was late morning, and the switchboard was swamped. I
couldn't get through, couldn't leave a message.
Around Northwest Indiana, cities, towns, counties and school
systems are all preparing to cut back in some fashion next year, as
property tax collections decline and sales tax revenues fail to
meet expected targets.