THE ISSUE: Township government.
OUR VIEW: Transfer township functions to counties.
Indiana lawmakers will have another chance this year to consider abolishing the township level of government.
We hope they’ll take advantage of the opportunity, but we’re not holding our breath.
A bill by Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, would transfer all township functions to county government. County commissioners would assume the powers and duties of the township trustee, and county councils would take over the responsibilities of township advisory boards.
If the measure were approved, the transfer would begin Jan. 1, 2013.
The change is long overdue.
The elimination of township government was among the recommendations put forward by the Kernan-Shepard Commission, a bipartisan panel put together to study the issue of reshaping local government.
A series of articles last year in The Indianapolis Star painted a picture of a level of government that has outlived its usefulness. The stories told of trustees with offices on the kitchen table and with family members filling every spot on the payroll.
They spoke of townships with bank accounts far exceeding their annual budgets but still collecting the maximum amount of property taxes.
Of course, there are two sides to the story.
Trustees in some of the state’s smaller townships acknowledge that they hire husbands or wives to answer the phone or keep the books, but they note that by operating out of their homes, they actually save the taxpayers the cost of an office. And who really needs an office when the phone might not ring for days at a time?
The vast majority of Indiana’s township trustees are civic-minded individuals who care about their communities. Many are clearly frugal in their spending. They’re not out to scam the taxpayers.
Still, you have to wonder whether Indiana really needs a level of government where the phone might not ring for more than a week. Can taxpayers afford a level of government that can rack up surpluses more than five times the size of the annual budget?
It might be asking too much to expect lawmakers to eliminate an entire level of government during this year’s budget session, but at a time of shrinking tax revenues, we think the idea is worth considering.
Opinion
Let’s consider township bill
- Opinion
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Our view: Centers are less expensive to operate and more convenient for the average voter.
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White shouldn’t return to office
The issue: The conviction of Indiana’s secretary of state.
Our view: Charlie White’s ouster from office should be permanent.
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Editorial - Feb. 8, 2012: Grand success for Indianapolis
The issue: The Super Bowl.
Our view: Indianapolis left a great impression on thousands of visitors.
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Letters to the Editor: Feb. 8, 2012
As Hoosiers celebrate the conclusion of a truly remarkable Super Bowl experience, there is even more good news that should fill us with pride. More Indiana students are graduating from high school than ever before.
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The Indiana Senate last week approved a bill that would allow public schools to teach creationism, as long as they include theories from multiple religions.
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If you say so
In an opinion piece we published Thursday, state Rep. Mike Karickhoff announced why he voted against “right-to-work” legislation. His reason: The community told him to.
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Cheers and jeers - Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012
Karickhoff acted ‘cowardly’
The Rev. Robin Wentworth Mayer and Horst G. Mayer of Kokomo send the Jeer for state Rep. Mike Karickhoff’s silence during the “right-to-work” debate:
“Mr. Karickhoff, for someone who’s new to office, you’ve certainly learned the art of talking out of both sides of your mouth.
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Let’s drug test our lawmakers
Perhaps it’s appropriate that a measure passed by the Indiana House this week would ask not only welfare recipients but Indiana lawmakers to consent to a drug test.
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Editorial - Feb. 2, 2012: Peru delivers a message
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Our view: Aggressive enforcement can help a city’s finances, but the benefits go beyond dollars and cents.
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Karickhoff: Reason behind my ‘right-to-work’ vote
There is no doubt the “right-to-work” debate has brought mixed emotions, not only to our state but District 30 as well. There were only a handful of House Republicans who did not vote in support of this legislation. Let me explain why I felt it was necessary for me to vote in opposition to right to work.
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