(WSBT) Many across Indiana think property taxes would be lower if local government was run more efficiently. Former Governor Joe Kernan and Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard released a report on local government reform.

It's based off an Indiana Commission studying the issue. Kernan and Shepard traveled around the state talking about that report Monday.

The report recommends steps to make Indiana's local government more efficient, effective, understandable and accountable. One issue a lot of people are questioning is property taxes.

The commission's report says it has recommended solutions. The first is that county governments should be led by one county executive and a stronger county council.

Another recommendation says the services performed by township personnel should be transferred to the county governments.

The commission also says only elected officials should have the power to levy taxes. Also, it says all state spending should be better examined by those elected officials.

Both former Governor Kernan and Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard say they know the proposed transformation will be "disruptive, even painful in the short run." They also anticipate lots of resistance to their recommendations.

View the full report here (.pdf)