Local Government Accountability Committee

Local Government Accountability Committee

Chairman, Melvin Evans, Jr.

The primary goal of the MCC's Local Government Accountability Committee (LGAC) is to hold the Mayor, the members of the Gary City Council, and other local elected officials who represent the 1st District, accountable for their actions on behalf of the citizens

The LGAC Goal will be accomplished by obtaining feedback from the citizens of the 1st District by completion of surveys, and submitting the survey results to the elected official(s) and publications to citizens. It is expected that citizens can therefore base their votes in elections on how well the elected officials have carried out their responsibilities.

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RESULTS from SURVEY #4 HERE.

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RESULTS from SURVEY #3 HERE.

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RESULTS from the recent 2021 Citizen's Survey, as reported to the Mayor and Gary Common Council December 12 2021 (PDF)

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Greetings and thank you, concerned citizens and neighbors of the 1st District, for participating in our first survey, which was delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions and a reorganization of our Committee. We appreciate your patience and value your feedback and opinions of our local elected officials' performance. Officials must remember that they work for us and their actions should reflect the will of the citizens of the 1st District and that they will be held accountable. Through our joint efforts to monitor the actions of our local elected officials we can all become more informed voters. More surveys will follow to make your voices and opinions heard. Following are the survey results:

95.7% of respondents identified their neighborhood as Miller
3.5% Aetna
0% Glen Ryan
0% Emerson.

In response to the question "Passage of the GCSC Referendum was endorsed by the City Common Council, prior to citizens voting at the polls. Are you in agreement with your Council members' endorsement?"
82.6% answered No.
9.6% answered I Don't Know.
7.3% answered Yes.

In response to the question "Each year when you renew your car license you pay a $25 Wheel Tax that goes for repairing our roads and streets. Do you feel your elected officials are effectively monitoring this expenditure to ensure we see adequate street and road repairs?"
79.1% answered No.
16.5% answered I Don't Know.
4.3% answered Yes.

In response to the question "The property taxes you pay goes toward salaries and other expenditures of the Code Enforcement Department to ensure City codes are enforced. Do you feel our elected officials are adequately monitoring these expenditures to ensure codes are timely and effectively enforced and fines assessed as necessary?"
70.4% answered No.
23.5% answered I Don't Know.
6.1% answered Yes.

In response to the question "A significant amount of citizens' monthly fees pay for your personal residential trash pickup. Trash pickup for neighborhoods, parks, beach areas, etc are paid for out of the City of Gary general fund. Do you think our elected officials are adequately monitoring and assessing fines for trash pickup in these areas?"
53.0% answered No.
30.4% answered I don't Know.
16.5% answered Yes.

Thank you again for your thoughts.

Respectfully,
Melvin Evans, Jr., Chairman, Local Government Accountability Committee

CC: Penelope Love, President, Aetna Manor Redevelopment Program
Oscar Cobb, Glen Ryan Representative