GARY, INDIANA, HAS LONG AGO SLIPPED INTO AN ECONOMIC ABYSS.  Constantly struggling to fund their basic governmental services, the City Council is considering two new ordinances to squeeze the citizen’s wallets even further.

One measure that will be voted on next month proposes charging everybody who pays a water bill an additional $2.64 a month for fire hydrant rental. 

Terry L. Atherton, an Indiana American Water operations manager, said residential customers can expect to see the increase on their bill two or three months after the ordinance is passed. Customers with larger meters (businesses) can expect a bigger increase, he said.

The City Controller expects to raise $1.1 million a year by renting out their fire hydrants.  This comes on top of an 85% increase of homeowners’ sewer bills.

The other proposed ordinance would allow the Gary Fire Department to charge for services rendered at the scene of an accident other than ambulance service.

GFD photo

Half of the money collected from those services would go into a fund to support the Gary Fire Department. The rest would be considered “miscellaneous revenue.”

The Gary Post-Tribune has the STORY.
Gary Fire Department WEBSITE.

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