Gary 'strangling' Miller, residents argue

Font Size:

BY MARISA KWIATKOWSKI
mkwiatkowski@nwitimes.com
219.662.5333 | Sunday, March 16, 2008 | (19 comment(s))

GARY | Let us show you the way to the lifeboats, Annette Levgard told Miller residents Saturday.

She said disannexation could save the Miller neighborhood from Gary's inefficient services, budgeting and its negative stigma.

"I'm tired of carrying around the dead weight of the cesspool that is Gary," resident Jim Pappas said, urging Miller to disannex from its parent municipality.

About 30 Miller area residents participated Saturday in the fourth informal discussion about disannexation.

The new municipality would reach from Interstate 65 on the west to County Line Road on the east, according to the proposed Miller Beach community map. It would border Lake Michigan on the north and follow the contours of Lake Station to County Line Road, incorporating Aetna and Gary Gardens to the south.

Acting Chairwoman Jesi Pease told residents they are about six months from securing the financial numbers that will tell them whether disannexation is feasible.

Gary developer Nat McKnight said he believes it will work. He told residents that he is interviewing potential attorneys to help them in their quest for autonomy.

By state law, after a majority of citizens sign a disannexation petition, the city rules on the request. Pease said she expects the city to deny Miller's request, which would move the case to court.

Resident Robert Leonard said disannexation would improve residents' public safety responses, enhance cleanup efforts, lower insurance rates and make use of the viable but vacant U.S. 12/U.S. 20 corridor.

"With the lake, national park and South Shore connection, you would think this community would be booming," he said. "But, it's falling apart."

For more information, visit millerbeachforum.com/

Back to story 19 comment(s)

Please note: Comments from readers will be screened and may not be posted immediately. If you don't see your comment perhaps:

It wasn't clear, concise or focused on the topic in the story.
It was a personal attack, vulgar, explicit or degrading, used actual or implied profanity or contained potentially libelous statements.
It accused someone of being guilty of a crime.
It promoted violence or illegal acts.
It contained telephone numbers or street addresses, or e-mail addresses and links to Web sites other than nwi.com or government agencies.

In no way do these comments represent the views of The Times or Lee Enterprises.

Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude and profane language and personal abuse are not welcome.

Reader comments will not be edited - they will be approved or declined. They may be used in the print edition of the newspaper.

If you feel a posted comment has violated these guidelines, please email our New Media team the commenter's name, the comment and a link to the article.

For more information please read our Terms of Service.

Citizen wrote on Mar 19, 2008 9:27 AM:

" Something needs to wake the rest of Gary up to its rampant corruption. The tax caps may help, but if any small group of Gary citizens, in Miller or elsewhere, could carve themselves away and have the power to govern themselves, perhaps we could actually make the area that includes this "city of the century" worth keeping around for another 100 years. One way or another, citizens of Gary must stand up and say NO to the policies of an administration and school board that seem to care only about helping themselves and seem to care about taxpayers and students only as revenue-generators! "

Who cares.... wrote on Mar 18, 2008 1:50 AM:

" Glad I don't live in that cesspool called Gary and that the other half called Miller. Gary has been spilling into Miller for some time know. I say if you don't like it....move. Why? Because that land and those cities were there before you and they'll be there after you!! Miller residents, you're still a part of Gary....no matter what you say. "

Clay always corrupt wrote on Mar 17, 2008 3:17 PM:

" I doubt Miller could afford to exist on it's own. Too bad. Gary is so corrupt. I sent this article to a friend of mine who grew up in Miller, he had this to say about the current mayor, :it's a shame that Rudy is mayor, we used to get
our fake ID's from some of his places downtown. matter of fact, that's
what we used to call our ID's - "you bringing your Rudolph Clay tonite?" If wasn't so sad, it would be funny. This man is a crook.
"

john boy wrote on Mar 17, 2008 8:47 AM:

" Millers is a dump by the lake no matter what you call it, and it fits into Gary just right. If you don,t like Gary them move out. "

Please Hurry wrote on Mar 17, 2008 7:21 AM:

" I think this is best for Gary and Miller. Miller will be able to prosper like it should, being a lake front community. Gary would be able to reallocate its resources to other parts of Gary. Plus I can see my house actually having value. "

Bryan wrote on Mar 16, 2008 10:50 PM:

" Gary fell apart under Hatcher. Now you have his prise pupil as Mayor. Way to go. "

Aetna born wrote on Mar 16, 2008 7:02 PM:

" This reminds me of when East Gary became Lake Station. Miller is still Gary. Aetna is still Gary. Just sad to see what was such a great place to grow up become such a horrible place to live. "

cj wrote on Mar 16, 2008 2:00 PM:

" this is an example of run away fiscal spending with absolutely no accountability...and simply put the tax payer is tired of it.
"

Steve wrote on Mar 16, 2008 1:56 PM:

" This is not going to help at all. There are still murders and robberies in the Miller area. The place is a total dump. Noone will want to move there. There is nothing there to help improve the area. The residents are the problem leaving trash all over the place. The Gary name is not hurting the area, it is the rsidents. "

James wrote on Mar 16, 2008 1:05 PM:

" A splendid idea! But no way will Gary let it happen. "

Griffith Resident wrote on Mar 16, 2008 11:30 AM:

" Glad you FINALLY WOKE UP! Were all tired (and broke) of "carrying around the dead weight of the cesspool that is Gary" Have Fun Trying to do Something About It? "

OakResident wrote on Mar 16, 2008 11:30 AM:

" Same flimflam. Same small group of those wanting to be in the paper.

I can say that we have discussed this issue in the past outside of the Chicago folks coming in and making their grand claims.

Disannexation will not work. We cannot afford our own services. This will be shown time and time again.

Maybe those Chicago people pushing this fact should sit down and allow the locals to run their community.

I came to this meeting and saw many Illinois license plates. Hmm??? "

Autonomy wrote on Mar 16, 2008 11:05 AM:

" If they do do it, I'd like to see them clean up the cesspool that is on U.S. 20. They should get rid of the red light district there and stop the dumping that is occurring south of 20. Who wants to drive by a bunch of porn stores and strip clubs everyday getting to the expressway. "

Griffith Resident wrote on Mar 16, 2008 10:31 AM:

" We feel your pain ! "

Babs wrote on Mar 16, 2008 10:08 AM:

" I am a resident of Miller and find this very amusing. The reasons I don't support this are many... This adhoc group can't answer questions in regards to police, fire, waste pick-up and numerous other services. Not only can they not answer these questions, they can not provide answers to the costs of these services and the ultimate question property taxes. Even if the taxes do decrease it will be a wash when we have to start paying out of pockets for other services. What is also interesting is that some of the individuals that are pushing for this just so happen to be private developers and they are more concerned with lining their pockets than the community as a whole. Put that in your pipe and smoke it !!!!!!! "

primus wrote on Mar 16, 2008 9:37 AM:

" Get out of Gary as fast as you can. Unless of course you want your business' to be boarded up and your streets garbage strewn. Gary can't even clean up the streets in front of City Hall. "

Terry wrote on Mar 16, 2008 9:35 AM:

" Go for it, though i wouldn't annex Aetna...I do believce Miller would be a nice small community in it's own right. "

ridiculous wrote on Mar 16, 2008 7:32 AM:

" Gary is pulling Miller down first you need to know Miller is still Gary. A Rose is still a Rose by any other name. Get over yourself. "

j j gedes wrote on Mar 16, 2008 3:54 AM:

" Good for Miller! Gary is nothing more than a dope depot. Maybe the New Miller could fix up Marquette Park once again as it used to be, with a seperate street into it so families can enjoy it once again. "

Back to story 19 comment(s)

Post a comment Once your comments are approved, they will appear here.

Marketplace

Sections

Services

Other Publications

Search