Calumet Township and Town of Griffith

Robinson will continue fight to stop Griffith secession vote

Contributed By:The 411 News

Calumet Township Trustee Kim Robinson isn’t taking the opinions of local or state officials to settle the question of the Town of Griffith’s decision to hold a vote on its secession from the township.

A week ago, the Lake County Elections Board rejected Robinson’s attempt to halt the December 20th special election in which Griffith residents will vote yes or no to separate from Calumet Township. During the summer, the town held a petition drive seeking residents’ approval to hold the election. It needed signatures from 30% or at least 1,200 of its registered voters.

Calumet Township claimed that Griffith officials didn't follow state law in framing the language of their petition for the special election and they didn't properly certify the results of the petition.

Now, Trustee Robinson plans on filing an injunction to stop the election. The township will argue the election is in violation of the very law that is permitting the move out of Calumet Township.

December’s election will be the end result of a years’ long effort by Griffith town leaders to get the Indiana General Assembly to create legislation that would allow it to secede. In 2013, the legislature approved a bill that set criteria of “12 times the state average” as a trigger for Griffith to move forward.

Gary, Griffith – on Gary’s southwestern edge – and nearby unincorporated areas make up Calumet Township. The town wants out of paying property taxes for services only a few of its residents use. The great majority receiving township assistance lives in Gary.

The bill’s language: When a township’s property tax rate for public assistance is more than 12 times the statewide average township assistance tax rate, a municipality within that township can separate from that township.

Griffith used the services of an accounting firm to determine that Calumet Township’s 2016 tax rate was greater than 12 times the state average. Griffith’s town council president, Rick Ryfa, said the council consulted with state officials before initiating the petition drive. It sought opinions from the Indiana Office of the Attorney General and the Dept. of Local Government Finance on the application of the 12 times criteria.

“Their opinions are just that, opinions. I want the legislators to decide. They wrote the bill.” Robinson said the township will file a lawsuit against the Griffith special election.

“Griffith did not compute the average the same way the bill’s authorizers calculated it.” Robinson said the legislators used a weighted average, not the arithmetic average that Griffith used. “That’s why I want the legislature to decide.”

Robinson said she will ask for the township board’s approval. “We’ll likely take it up after the November General Election.”

Story Posted:10/20/2016