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Gary council refers several 2026 budget and appropriation ordinances to finance committee
Summary
The Gary Common Council voted to refer a series of 2026 salary, operating and tax-based fund appropriation ordinances (CPO 2025-48 through 52 and CPO 2025-53 through 56) to the finance committee for hearings; hearings and final hearings were scheduled.
During its Sept. 16, 2025 meeting the Gary Common Council moved several budget- and appropriation-related ordinances to the finance committee for further review and scheduled hearings.
Earlier in the meeting the council voted 7-0 to refer CPO 2025-48, 2025-49, 2025-50, 2025-51 and 2025-52 back to the finance committee; a finance-committee meeting was scheduled for Sept. 17 at Roosevelt Pavilion, 6 p.m. Later the council recorded a 7-0 vote assigning CPO 2025-53, 2025-54, 2025-55 and 2025-56 to the finance committee with a committee hearing scheduled for Oct. 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Roosevelt Pavilion and a final hearing scheduled for Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Gary Public Library.
The ordinances referenced a range of city budget matters, including new funds and appropriations, police donation fund appropriations, city salary and operating budgets for the fiscal year beginning Jan. 1, 2026 and ending Dec. 31, 2026, and redevelopment and airport tax-based fund appropriations. Several ordinances were sponsored by the mayor and named city department leaders in the ordinance titles.
Votes at a glance
• CPO 2025-48 — Referred back to finance committee (motion passed 7-0). Committee meeting scheduled Sept. 17 at Roosevelt Pavilion, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-49 — Referred back to finance committee (motion passed 7-0). Committee meeting scheduled Sept. 17 at Roosevelt Pavilion, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-50 — Referred back to finance committee (motion passed 7-0). Committee meeting scheduled Sept. 17 at Roosevelt Pavilion, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-51 — Referred back to finance committee (motion passed 7-0). Committee meeting scheduled Sept. 17 at Roosevelt Pavilion, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-52 — Referred back to finance committee (motion passed 7-0). Committee meeting scheduled Sept. 17 at Roosevelt Pavilion, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-53 — Assigned to finance committee (vote 7-0). Committee hearing Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m.; final hearing Oct. 21, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-54 — Assigned to finance committee (vote 7-0). Committee hearing Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m.; final hearing Oct. 21, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-55 — Assigned to finance committee (vote 7-0). Committee hearing Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m.; final hearing Oct. 21, 6 p.m. • CPO 2025-56 — Assigned to finance committee (vote 7-0). Committee hearing Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m.; final hearing Oct. 21, 6 p.m.
Why this matters
These ordinances set the process for reviewing salary, operating and special tax-based fund appropriations for the 2026 fiscal year and could affect departmental budgets for police, public transportation, airport operations, redevelopment and other city services. Referring these items to the finance committee initiates the hearings and public-review process required before final council action.
What to expect next
Finance-committee hearings were scheduled; the committee will take testimony, staff presentations and potentially amend ordinances before they return to the full council for final reading and vote.
(Reporting note: ordinance descriptions were summarized from the ordinance titles read into the record during the council meeting; specific line-item dollar amounts were not read into the public record at the Sept. 16 session.)
