Indiana commission releases local government reform report

by Kelli Cheatham (kcheatham@wsbt.com)

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Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard, Gov. Mitch Daniels and former Gov. Joe Kernan

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard, right, responds to a question during a news conference after announcing 27 recommendations by the Commission on Local Government Reform for making Indiana's local government more efficient at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007. Gov. Mitch Daniels, left, and former Gov. Joe Kernan, who co-chaired the commission with Shepard, listen to the comments. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Dec 11, 2007 at 11:12 AM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 27, 2007 at 9:55 AM EDT

(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)

Wednesday, Jan 30 at 2:51 PM Al Gibbs wrote ...

If we are talking about saving tax dollars-state spending of office holders outspend local government spending. Locally the people know what is going on and can walk in and express their opinions. Locally the people know what township government is doing. It is by far cheaper compared to state office workers!

Tuesday, Dec 11 at 5:09 PM S. Boggs wrote ...

Indeed. The reasons why taxes went up are: state regulations, elimination of some taxes for businesses and incorrect assessments. What services that are provided by Local Govt. should we lean to live without?

Tuesday, Dec 11 at 3:01 PM L.G. wrote ...

I agree. Downsizing STATE Government should be as important as downsizing local Government.

Tuesday, Dec 11 at 2:35 PM Lynn wrote ...

I'd venture a guess that if the recommendations were followed that our taxes would still go up. They would cut out some of the areas of the local gov't and proceed to give themselves higher raises. There went the savings.

Tuesday, Dec 11 at 1:36 PM j.w. wrote ...

I am wondering the same thing as D.W. Maybe we should see a comparison of the cost of employees at the state level versus the local level

Tuesday, Dec 11 at 1:25 PM w l d wrote ...

I agree with D.W. on this one. It is not all fault of the local government. People need to realize that most of the local government are only doing their jobs based on what the state government tells them they have to do or they are not compliant.

Tuesday, Dec 11 at 1:06 PM D.W. wrote ...

WITH THIS BIG "REFORM PLAN" TO DOWNSIZE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO BE DONE TO DOWNSIZE GOVERNMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL SINCE THEY ARE A GOOD PART OF THE REASON TAXES WENT UP AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

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