Northwest Indiana Discussion

President Obama has adopted a highly stimulative fiscal policy with the trillion dollar stimulous package. He has also adopted a highly stimulative monetary policy holding interest rates at record lows and a federal funds rate of 0 to .25%.

However, while Obama’s fiscal and monetary policies have held the gas pedal to the floor, his regulatory policy has been just the opposite. Imposing thousands of pages of new regulations on U.S. businesses has been the same as holding the brake pedal to the floor – restricting economic growth.

When you hold the gas and brake pedals to the floor at the same time, you burn up the engine and don’t go anywhere – which is what is happening to the U.S. economy.

Similarly, Mayors Uran and McDermott are borrowing and spending tens of millions of dollars in an attempt to stimulate the Crown Point and Hammond economies.

However, at the same time, they are engaging in pay-to-play politics which require businesses and others who do business with their cities to make campaign contributions if they want cooperation from the city administration.

This is a huge drag on the Crown Point and Hammond economies. Numerous core businesses have closed and they are not being replaced by new firms. Companies do not need to deal with pay-to-play practices. There are too many competing cities that operate without such practices. Evidence of pay-to-play practices in Crown Point and Hammond is overwhelming when you examine Mayors Uran or McDermott campaign finance reports (Indiana Form CFA-4, available for review at the Lake County Courthouse Board of Elections Office).

The solution to Crown Point and Hammond economic problems is electing competent, honest leaders who understand business and can adopt policies that are friendly to business.

In short, Obama, Uran and McDermott must take their foot off the brake or we must elect replacements who will.

Actually, Uran is worse than Obama.

Obama has only increased U.S. Debt by 40% from ten trillion to fourteen trillion dollars.

Uran has increased Crown Point debt by 51% and most of the borrowed money is for projects that will pay no taxes like the Sportsplex and the Bo Jackson Stadium

Randy Palmateer is already running all over northwest indiana stating how he is going to get out of that DUI charge. So i really can't say you are that far off!

Another business, women's hair salon "Flair For Hair" in the Jewel mall, just announced it is closing because business from the north end of Crown Point has vanished.

Uran is destroying the Crown Point economy with his pay-to-play politics and his inability to bring new businesses to Crown Point.

At the same time that the tax base is shrinking, he is borrowing large amounts and has run up the city debt by 51% in three years in order to buy votes with expensive projects that will pay no taxes.

In 5-10 years Crown Point will look like Merrillville and then like Gary and homes will be worthless like Gary.

McDermott borrowed $14 million for the Lost Marsh Clubhouse which is running at a $1 million dollar operating loss.

The State Board of Accounts has sharply criticized McDermott for failure to itemize his credit card expenditures.

There are serious questions over McDermott's use of $100 million of riverboat casino funds.

Merrillville has changed from 71% Caucasian to 34% Caucasian between the 2000 census and the 2010 census. Merrillville has also borrowed heavily and is in financial trouble.

Uran's large apartment complexes, Bo Jackson stadium and the Sportsplex, using borrowed money will turn Crown Point in 5 to 10 years into another Merrillville.

Uran is destroying Crown Point!!

Union official skirts OWI case, pleads guilty to reckless driving

A region union official has avoided a drunken driving case by pleading guilty to reckless driving, Lake County court records show.

Dismissal of the drunken driving charge is contingent on a six-month review period during which Randy Palmateer must stay out of trouble with the law. He is scheduled to appear at a review hearing in February in Lake Station City Court.

Palmateer was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and endangering a person following his arrest in Crown Point last month.

Palmateer, business manager of the Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, was stopped by a Crown Point police officer Aug. 8.

The officer witnessed Palmateer driving 42 mph in a 25 mph zone while weaving along South Court Street near the Lake County Fairgrounds, according to police reports.

Palmateer, who also is an appointed member of the Crown Point Redevelopment Commission, gave off a strong odor of alcohol, appeared confused and had bloodshot, watery eyes when approached by the officer during the stop, police reports state.

Palmateer also was unsteady and swayed when he exited his vehicle and refused an alcohol breath test and sobriety tests at the scene, according to police reports.

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake ... z1XI3gmmEr