Gary officials moved a long-discussed Lake County Convention Center closer to reality, approving a key step that allows the city to begin negotiating costs for the project planned next to the Hard Rock Casino. At its March 24 meeting, the Gary Common Council approved a resolution allowing the city to begin working with a selected […]
Gary Common Council
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Public Meetings
April 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
The Gary Redevelopment Commission moved forward on a mix of neighborhood and downtown initiatives, including a measure to expand the city’s sidelot program and taking steps tied to the future of the Genesis Center. The sidelot program allows homeowners to acquire adjacent vacant lots for maintenance or expansion, part of an ongoing effort to stabilize […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Politics & Policy, Utilities
Gary Residents Question Whether Data Centers Are Worth the Cost
Gary officials and residents are grappling with whether the city should welcome data centers amid concerns about environmental impacts, tax incentives, and strain on local infrastructure. During a public forum hosted by Common Council member Darren Washington, community members, environmental advocates, and residents discussed the potential benefits and liabilities of data center development in Gary. […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy, Public Services
Gary Businesses Face Higher Stormwater Bills as New Rates Take Effect
Many Gary businesses and other commercial property owners will soon see higher stormwater bills after the city approved a significant rate increase that shifts more of the cost of sewer and drainage upgrades onto nonresidential properties. The new structure raises stormwater charges to $14.38 per 1,000 gallons for commercial and industrial properties — an increase […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy
February 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
February’s public meetings in Gary will center on decisions with direct implications for residents, including proposed sewer rate hikes, a sweeping zoning rewrite, and expanded redevelopment activity across the city. As those issues move forward, the Gary Common Council begins the year under new leadership. 5th District Councilwoman Linda Barnes-Caldwell now serves as council president, […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Public Meetings, Redevelopment
November 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
With the budget for 2026 finalized, the Gary Common Council is turning its attention to its next major decision: a proposed rate increase from the Gary Sanitary District. The district says the higher rates are needed to fund a $300 million, 30-year plan required by the federal government to reduce sewage overflows into the Grand […]
Posted inBusiness, Money
Council Passes City Budget, Hits Pause on Sewer Rate Hike
Gary’s 2026 budget is slightly smaller than last year’s, but it shifts more money into key departments and adds new workers as part of a broader reorganization of city services. The $65.5 million general fund, the city’s primary fund for day-to-day operations, is down about $725,000 from 2025, yet income, public safety, and infrastructure funds […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Gary Council to Discuss Sewer Hike, Tax Reform at Upcoming Budget Hearing
When the Gary Common Council reconvenes for its budget hearing on Oct. 28, members will confront two of the city’s biggest financial challenges heading into 2026: funding the federally mandated overhaul of its wastewater system and managing the looming fallout from new state tax laws. At the center of debate is an ordinance proposing steep […]
Posted inEducation, Local Government, Public Meetings
October 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
With the city’s proposed 2026 budget heading to a public hearing on Oct. 7 and a final adoption set for Oct. 21, residents will have a brief window to voice their priorities. This year’s process is under greater scrutiny as Gary faces tightening property tax revenues and less flexibility in American Rescue Plan Act-backed spending. […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
Gary Council Rejects Redistricting Move, Questions Rezoning Proposal
In a resounding vote on Tuesday, the Gary Common Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing potential plans by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and the Indiana General Assembly to hold a special session and redistrict ahead of the 2030 census. “The fact they’re trying to redistrict within a 10-year period is unacceptable, and they publicly have […]