Dan Carden

CROWN POINT — Lake County no longer will hire for certain vacant positions due to the revenue uncertainty foisted on local governments across Indiana by Senate Enrolled Act 1 .

The Lake County Council voted 5-0 Tuesday in favor of a partial hiring freeze to reduce county government spending next year by an estimated $1 million.

The adopted ordinance, which remains in effect indefinitely, is paired with a provision in the proposed 2026 county budget, set for tentative approval Sept. 16, permanently eliminating long-vacant positions in numerous county departments.

"The funding of county government has been reduced by the impacts of SEA 1," the ordinance says. "In order to prepare for the full impact of SEA 1, and to avoid future disruption of services, it is necessary to red

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