By KEN de la BASTIDE
The push to reform county government in Indiana started in Kokomo with a visit by Gov. Mitch Daniels and former Gov. Joe Kernan.
They argued the state system is antiquated and must be changed.
More than 200 people attended a meeting Tuesday at Pastariffic during which Daniels and Kernan answered questions on the proposal sponsored by MySmartGov.org.
Marilyn Schultz, executive director of the organization, said a vote on township government reform is scheduled in the Indiana Senate. She noted sample letters were available for people to send and cell phones available to contact lawmakers.
The key to local government reform is the Kernan-Shepard Report issued last year. It presented 27 recommendations to consolidate local government.
The intent of the reforms is to replace the current system of county government with a single elected county executive who would then make appointments, similar to a mayor.
If approved, it would mean county auditors, treasurers, recorders, assessors, coroners and surveyors would no longer be elected positions. It would also eliminate township trustees, consolidate library districts and seek to consolidate school systems of less than 1,000 students.
Daniels said the public has been opposed to some change, such as the switch to daylight-saving time, which he said was a good policy for the state.
“By every measure, the public supports the change in the system,” he said. “Last year in referendum votes most township assessor positions were eliminated.”
Daniels said those wanting to maintain the status quo are mostly the officeholders and they are mobilized and will show up at hearings.
“The public needs to make their position known,” he said. “We’re not sailing into the wind on this one.”
Daniels said he doubts any legislators will lose an election if they vote for the government reform bills.
David Bottorff, director of the Association of Indiana Counties, said the organization is supportive of most of the recommendations.
He said the AIC wants local options on implementation at the county level through referendum votes.
Bottorff said with three commissioners, each area of a county is represented.
“Rural parts of the county might like having a commissioner from their area,” he said. “They might not like a single county executive from Kokomo.”
Bottorff said the important thing is for people in the state’s 92 counties to have a choice.
Daniels said he was not opposed to a referendum vote that could result in a patchwork of differing government structures in each county.
In terms of economic development, Daniels said a single county executive would simplify the process for companies interested in investing in the state.
“It would create clarity and less confusion,” he said. “Companies looking to invest in Indiana are given a list of all elected officials to work with, something not done in other states.”
Daniels indicated that the counties that adopt reform in how local government does business will be more successful in attracting investment.
Counties slow to reform will eventually join in as they see it helping local schools and better government, he said.
A Ball State University study has estimated an annual savings of $400 million to $600 million, he said.
“Saving is not the No. 1 objective,” Daniels said. “The No. 1 goal is effectiveness of service and accountability. We want the money saved put back in services.”
Kernan said no local libraries or schools will close because of the government reform, and there is a lot of confusion.
“We didn’t recommend any closures,” he said. “We recommended the consolidation of small school superintendents. Students are being denied opportunities because the schools are unable to hire teachers in advanced placement course offerings.”
Kernan said students with limited access to Core 40 and Core 40 Honors diplomas will be unable to attend Indiana and Purdue universities in the future.
There are 54 school systems in the state with fewer than 1,000 students.
“This is the best friend of small schools,” Daniels said. “Administrative consolidation is the best way to preserve and protect the smaller schools.”
Daniels said to stop wasting so much taxpayer dollars on overhead costs that don’t teach anyone. He said those funds saved in administrative costs could be used to hire teachers.
Kernan said the committee didn’t feel comfortable with recommending that there be countywide school districts.
“We set a limit of 2,000 students, which has been reduced to 1,000,” he said. “We didn’t put a limit on the size.”
Daniels said he was open to the idea of the county council being required to approve appointments under a single county executive system.
“There would be a stronger county council with powers over policy and budget,” he said. “The council having oversight would not be the worst thing.”
Kernan said the committee wanted to make the county executive and legislative branches stronger.
“It would diminish the power of the executive to have someone approve the appointments,” he said. “The executive has the right to make those appointments. It would open the door to politics and personalities, which would not be constructive.”
Kernan said if there are problems, the public would know who to blame if there is one county executive.
There would be no state guidelines for filling positions and that would be left to the local units of government, he said.
Ken de la Bastide can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com
