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★ A-2 CUPTHE STAR: SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 1987East Chicago Heights changes name to ‘FordBy PETE REYNOLDSThe village of East Chicago Heights recently became the thirdSales tax-(Continued from Pane A-l) county.But there is some possibility the levy could remain at a lower level, according to Sell. He pointed to three scenarios that could hold it down.• RESIDENTIAL GROWTH andan influx of new businesses could increase the property tax base, so the tax burden does not bear as hard on present residents.• The sales tax might bring in far more revenue than the $3 million planners anticipate.• Governor James Thompson’s call for a number of tax hikes in the state may bring in additional revenue for the county, if passed, and take some pressure off of the county’s tax-south suburban community in recent years to change its name — in an attempt to shed its former image.Budde charged that one business, the Louis Joliet Mall, is taxed based on and assessed market value of $18 million, though it was sold in July, 1985 for $38 million.Homeowners in the county are making up the difference, Budde said. “You don't need a sales tax, and you don’t need a hike in the property tax.”Backing the tax, Judith Bredeweg (R-Bolingbrook) said it would pass the burden on to renters, visitors to the county and people who purchase goods and services there.CLAIMING CRIME is “running rampant in the streets of Joliet, she said residents “have only to spend one night on the streets of Joliet to realize there is a need for an addi-tinnal famlifuThe new name will be “Ford Heights.”East Chicago Heights — Ford Heights — joins the villages of University Park and Orland Hills as communities that have recently changed names.University Park changed its name from Park Forest South. Officials and residents there wanted to distinguish the town from Park Forest and the confusion that exists when neighboring villages share similar names.IN CONTRAST, Orland Hills, which used to be Westhaven, wanted the name recognition that come from its close proximity to prospering Orland Park.According to East Chicago Heights Village Clerk Edna Mason and Village Attorney James Baczynski, the change is now official.Theater-(Continued from Page A-l)But not much has been reported on the change besides a legal notice published in The Star recently.“It’s been a well-kept secret,” complained Charles Gordon, director of the East Chicago Heights Community Service center “There’s a lot of people over here that aren’t in favor of it. But the village made the decision.“I’D PREFER it was put to the voters to decide, he said.Mason, clerk since 1961 and possibly serving her last term (“I hope they find somebody else for the next election,” she said) commented that the change “had to be made.”And she is taking partial credit.Mason tells it this way:“ME AND MY Assistant Clerk, Eddie Mae (Ross), were sitting around here one day saying we have to change our image, our name. We getgestion, Fazzini added.“Of course, vou will continue tocalls all the time for East Chicago, Ind. And a lot of people think when something happens on the East side of Chicago Heights that that’s us, and it isn’t.“I was looking at the Ford plant that’s just outside our village limits and the idea came to me,” she said Friday.Report $2,700Thieves removed $2,700 worth of stereo equipment from a van parked at a Crete township residence sometime between March 11 and last Tuesday.The owner told Will county sheriff’s police that someone removed a stereo cassette player, amplifier, speakers and radar detector from the van located in the 1100 block of Shady Oaks trail.Other electronic equipment including a portable radio, television, various tapes and a citizens band (CB)Heights’“Why not call ourselves Ford Heights?” she said. “Maybe we could get them to annex into the village. That’d be something.”She said she approached East Chicago Heights Mayor Saul Beck and the trustees and they encouraged Mason to seek the change. “They said it sounded good.”theft from vanradio were not taken from the vehicle, reports indicated.THE VICTIM’S father apparently noticed the driver’s door unlocked and the radio missing Tuesday, policesaid.Thieves removed the wooden dash console to gain access to the stereo which was mounted on the dash, police said.Police said no scratches were found on the door, indicating that the door may have been left unlocked.
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Crete Star
Crete, Illinois, US
Sun, Mar 22, 1987
Page 2
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USA 18 Mar 2024
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