03/05/2009 - Hammond mayor’s State of the City celebrates history, looks forward (Times of Northwest Indiana)

Hammond mayor's State of the City celebrates history, looks forward

By Susan Brown

HAMMOND | Festooned with yellow and black balloons and banners commemorating the city's 125-year anniversary, the city's historic First Midwest Bank building served as the backdrop for Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr.'s 2009 State of the City address on Wednesday.

Keeping to a theme celebrating the city's history and his administration's achievements, McDermott's speech was sprinkled with stories of the past and the present, from the era of Hammond's first mayor, Marcus Towle, who had "a constituency of around 700 people and several thousand heads of cattle," to his own recent visit with a young couple restoring a classic, turn-of-the century home with the city's help.

Throughout, McDermott recognized the experience and dedication of longtime city workers for battling pollution, responding effectively to crises such as last September's flooding, contributing to the city's housing development and improving public safety. He also credited leaders in the worlds of business, education and community service for their contributions to the city's welfare.

"In looking back, we look forward: 125 years from now, what will our legacy be? What will we be able to show for the efforts that we are making right now?" McDermott said.

"This administration has been hard at work over the past five years to create changes that will leave a lasting mark on this city," he said.

McDermott pointed to having aggressively sought business investment, the largest by far the half-billion dollar expansion of the Horseshoe Casino.

Because of cost-cutting measures in city government, the property tax levy has decreased in the past two years, he added.

"We have made education a top priority, and so we can proudly point to a college scholarship program that is attracting national attention," he continued. Complementing his efforts toward higher education is a newly expanded "Home Bound" program, which assists first-time home buyers with their down payment.

McDermott said the city is intent on beautifying Hammond, creating an attractive gateway welcoming to visitors, beginning with a $1.8 million landscaping project at the Five Points intersection in Robertsdale. The project is minor in comparison to a $31.4 million transformation of Wolf Lake and the surrounding area, part of U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky's vision to recapture the lakefront for public use.

While enjoying offering praise, McDermott said he also felt compelled to offer some criticism, chiding the state for continuing to budget the federal levee project, now moving through Munster and Hammond, at the "same paltry $1 million per year they have always budgeted, even after this major disaster occurred." He is committed to tackling the problem, he said.