Anti-tax group: tax heavy polluters.

An anti-tax group in Lake County wants to tax heavy industry to persuade the companies to cut pollution and lower the tax burden on home owners, according to the Post-Tribune of Merrillville.

Miller Citizens Corp., a not-for-profit, is beginning a campaign to lobby the General Assembly to give counties the option to tax based on pounds of pollutants discharged.

U.S. Steel, Mittal Steel and 72 other Lake County businesses targeted by the proposed tax emit 200,000 tons of air pollution a year.

Lake County’s budget shortfall is projected to mushroom to $233 million in 2010 from $19 million last year due to the General Assembly’s capping homestead property taxes at 2 percent.