Latest news with #GaryCityCouncil
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Need Help Paying Bills or Rent? The Calumet Township Trustee's Office Can Help.
The Calumet Township trustee's office provides essential services and resources that can make a real difference in residents' lives. Now, under the leadership of Tai Adkins, former Gary City Council president, the office is working to ensure the community is fully aware of the programs available. From emergency assistance to other critical forms of support, the trustee's office is committed to helping local families access the help they need. 'I've always been focused on getting results that improve people's lives,' Adkins told Capital B Gary after winning the January caucus to become trustee. 'I worked hard to help small businesses and local nonprofits grow and serve our community,' she said. 'These experiences have shaped the approach I'll bring to this new role, and I'm excited to keep building on this momentum.' Below, Capital B Gary has compiled a list of the services offered by the trustee's office and how to get the help you need. The township's main office, at 610 Connecticut St., is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Applications are processed at the main office from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rental/Mortgage Assistance Rental or mortgage assistance is available for eligible applicants, with shelter space offered based on availability and qualification. All aid requires verification of eligibility. Utility Assistance Help with utility bills is available if the bill is in your name and you're living at the address listed. The specific paperwork needed to verify your information is listed below. Food Assistance If your household doesn't receive food stamps and you meet the guidelines, you may qualify for food vouchers. Emergency help with food stamps is sometimes available, too. Be ready to show proof of income, proof of residence, and keep in mind a few restrictions may apply. Transportation Assistance Transportation may be provided to eligible individuals who are stranded and seeking to return to their legal residence. Burial Assistance Assistance is available for families of deceased individuals who resided in Calumet Township and meet eligibility criteria. Summer Internship Program The summer program is available to high school students ages 16 or older and to college students pursuing an undergraduate degree. The program runs from June 9 to July 31. Applications are due Thursday, May 8. For more information, call the Calumet Township office at (219) 880-4007. Standards of eligibility for most forms of assistance are set by Indiana code and are as follows: Applicants seeking assistance must visit the Calumet Township office at 610 Connecticut St. and provide the required documentation (see below). Two forms of verification are required, such as a lease, Indiana's driver's license, Indiana state ID or NIPSCO bill. The following may also be required: Valid Indiana photo I.D. for all household members 18 years and older. Social Security card for all household members. Birth certificate for all minor children in the household. Income verification must be presented for all household members. If anyone in the household is employed, documentation must include W-2 forms and pay stubs from the past 30 days. If a household member receives unemployment benefits, child support, or a pension, applicants must provide documentation of the amount received and printouts showing payment history. Applicants must also provide proof of whether they receive the following benefits: TANF food stamps Medicaid Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI/SSD) In addition: Applicants must provide proof of all pending applications, including Medicaid, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, unemployment and child support. Applicants must provide current bills for the assistance being requested. This includes utility bills such as NIPSCO, water and sewage, as well as the cost of prescriptions or medical tests. Applicants requesting utility assistance are required to apply for Project Safe (Energy Assistance) and present verification an application was made. If you or any household member receives income, you must present receipts verifying how you spent at least 80% of your income during the past 30 days prior to your request for assistance. Additional documentation may be required after an application interview. Yes. An applicant for or recipient of township assistance who is not satisfied with the decision of the township trustee as administrator of township assistance, the applicant or recipient may appeal to the Board of Commissioners. The post Need Help Paying Bills or Rent? The Calumet Township Trustee's Office Can Help. appeared first on Capital B Gary.
Chicago Tribune
26-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Bill could end Gary airport bi-state pact, stuns mayor who cites loss of revenue
Without explanation, the Republican-controlled General Assembly approved the termination of a bi-state alliance that's pumped millions of dollars into the Gary/Chicago International Airport. The move comes as state lawmakers scrambled to cut millions from the state budget Thursday after a revenue forecast projecting a $2.4 billion shortfall. An amendment to House Bill 1142, approved on Thursday, requires the Gary City Council to terminate the Compact by 2030. The language on the termination was a late addition into House Bill 1142, which addressed tax fiscal matters. Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, was listed as a sponsor on House Bill 1142, but he was one of just three senators who voted against the bill which passed 47-3. In the House, Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, was the lone dissenting vote on the bill that passed 78-1. Earlier, House Bill 1001, the state budget bill, called for the city council to terminate the compact by Jan. 1, 2026. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said via a statement Friday the legislation caught him off guard. 'Thanks to a Northwest Indiana delegation downstate, this mandate has been pushed back by five years, but the potential consequences remain severe,' Melton said. 'If enacted as originally intended, we would risk losing millions of dollars in funding from our Compact agreement with Chicago, as well as critical FAA grants that sustain our airport's day-to-day operations. 'This legislative move is especially troubling in light of the growing investment in and around the airport that my administration has been able to accomplish within my first 14 months in office. One major project, a $40 million development, set to begin this year, is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs to Gary and Northwest Indiana. 'This sends mixed messages to the private sector and could jeopardize our partnership with Chicago.' Melton said he plans to work with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Compact members to determine the best path forward. 'We will not be deterred in our commitment to protecting the economic future of Gary,' Melton said. Gary City Council president Lori Latham, D-1, said in a statement the council didn't become aware of the compact termination language until Thursday — the final day of the legislative session. 'We are closely reviewing this bill, its impact, and all legislation affecting Gary and will be engaging Gary residents on our evaluation and next steps.' A Gary council member voiced disapproval of the earlier language Thursday when it called for a council vote to terminate the Compact by Jan. 1, 2026. 'I would not vote in favor of dissolving the Compact,' said Councilman Darren Washington, D-at-large. 'It's been beneficial in bringing money to the airport.' Washington, who heads the council legislative committee, said he's concerned lawmakers would enact legislation without talking to city officials. Randolph said Friday he added his name to House Bill 1142 because he was told the Compact termination language would be removed. 'The point is I didn't find out about them putting it back in and giving them five years… They decided to take control of the airport and the airport belongs to the city.' Randolph didn't know who inserted the language, but said it came from the House. 'There's somebody behind it, I don't know who it is and somebody has an ulterior motive… That's why I voted against it.' The compact has been in existence since 1995 when former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley and former Gary mayor Scott King forged the pact, aimed at creating a regional approach to air transportation. 'In substance and symbol,' Daley said, 'it reflects the fact that we are one economy, one region, working together.' Officials credited Chicago's influence with the 2003 creation of a deal that brought Boeing's corporate fleet to the Gary airport. The bi-state agreement preserved Chicago's control of revenue from O'Hare and Midway airport and it called for Gary's airport to receive more than $1 million for three years, doubling its annual budget. Chicago also promised to market Gary and steer cargo and passenger air carriers toward Gary. Over a decade, Chicago pumped $14 million into the Gary airport. 'The city of Chicago has given more money to the airport than the state of Indiana,' Daley said in 2005 while lobbying former Gov. Mitch Daniels for the successful creation of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority to boost airport development. That same year, the legislature also revamped the airport authority leaving Gary still in control, but adding representatives from Lake and Porter counties and overseen by a chairman appointed by the governor.
