Archive for the ‘Local Government Reform’ Category

It’s not many times I get to cross post stuff from Stop Governing Like This to here.  Mostly it’s because I don’t want there to appear to be a conflict of interest.  But as a fiscal conservative (and a proponent of the Kernan-Shepard Report), this should irritate more than just me.

Something is still amiss in Washington Township in Marion County (yes, still on a Marion County theme.  Sorry, Jen and I live and work in and around Marion County).  The board is meeting tonight to give themselves quite a nice raise just for having a required four meetings a year.

From Abdul’s Indiana Barrister:

The Board meets this Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at the Trustee’s Office at 1595 E. 86th Street to vote on its budget. That budget includes a nice big pay raise. The raise would take the part-time advisory board’s salary from $2200 to $3800 annually.

The township board is only required to meet four times a year, so in theory these guys are techinically making $950.00 a meeting. And remember, the township doesn’t have a fire department to manage anymore. So there’s nothing like a near 70-percent raise when you have 80-percent less work to supervise.

Nice work if you can get it.

It also turns out there is going to be a silent protest being led by tax activist Penny Bigelow at the meeting tonight as well. Why silent? Apparently the law states that no public comment will be allowed at this meeting.

But Penny is objecting to more than just the Township Board’s pay increase. Oh no! She has forwarded me an entire petition that exposes the gross use of tax payer dollars and shines a bright light, whether intended or not, on ineffectiveness of township government.

(Read the petition after the leap) (more…)

Just found the results by township for Public Question #1

All EIGHT remaining Township Assessors in Marion County are gone.

Here’s a spreadsheet (requires Microsoft Excel) of the results by township.

(For more information, check out MySmartgov.org.)

Abdul over at Indiana Barrister posts a piece by Lawrence Twp Trustee Mike Hobbs (D) about the locally hot topic of township government reform. Knowing the Dems are just as interested in protecting their turf as much as some Republicans, I smelled a ‘Rat. So I sent our resident Jack Russell Terrier into the burrow and found Mr. Hobbs is only interested in privatizing one part of township government. The part that’s not under his or his political party’s control.

In the tradition of FReeper “PJComix”, author of the DummieFunnies, I’ll interject in between passages below the fold: (more…)

(For more information, check out MySmartgov.org.)

In The State of Indiana there are 92 counties. Those counties have multiple townships, from 6 to 12, and each and every township has a little government of it’s own. Some have suggested that this is a great thing because these little township governments are closer to the people, for the delivery of poor relief and fire protection often associated with township level government.

Ok, we’ll allow that’s possible. But we’ve also seen that these little townships need some accountability on budgets, and having the county council review their budgets is a step in the right direction.

One additional thing though that has fallen to the townships is the assessment of property values for taxation. Now, let me say it here first, eliminating all property taxation in favor of sales taxes would be the most preferable. But, while we have any property taxation there is a need to place values on these properties for taxes. This has fallen to a township assessor, and therein problems ensued.

Each assessor, although supposed to assess according to state law, was able to subjectively apply some different standards. This became a major mess, with the Supreme Court eventually setting aside the whole process and demanding a “market” based valuation model be implemented.

Ok, onward to Referendum #1 on the ballot this election. While HEA 1001 in early 2008 eliminated most township assessors, it stopped short of total reform by keeping the larger township assessors. This referendum eliminates these last assessors, and puts all the responsibility on the county elected assessor. One stop assessing, one person with the responsibilty to follow the law to the letter.

Here in NW Indiana, the Lake County assessor is against the referendum, and the Porter County assessor is for it.

For more information: Stop Governing Like This

On September 9, the Herald-Times reported:

Last year, (Brown County) commissioners Stephanie Yager and Blake Wolpert supported and voted to establish a fire district and a board to oversee the fire departments. The district has taxing power and received preliminary approval Aug. 28 from the state to levy taxes of up to $166,000 for 2009 and up to $420,000 for 2010 to fund the operation.

(Link requires paid subscription.)

The Brown County Council considered the $166,000 budget request for the district, but refused to authorize any money for it. The fire district was very unpopular and a petition against it had hundreds of signatures. Whether the fire district is good policy or not, the Brown County Council certainly followed the will of their constituents.

(Read more after the leap) (more…)

I want to tell you folks about a new blog I’m involved with.  It’s called Stop Governing Like This.  It takes a hard look at our system of local government and how it’s managed.

It’s also a bipartisan effort in which I am teaming up with the infamous Jennifer Wagner.  Can two people like Jennifer and I actually get along and agree on issues?  You’d be surprised.  One of the things we have in common is that we want to see local government run more smoothly.  We’re sick and tired of all the duplicative layers that cost taxpayers money.  And Jennifer and I are part of a coalition of people (Republican and Democrat) who are seeking to push more local more government reform.

So what are we going to do on our blog?  Pretty simple actually.  We want to expose all the waste, fraud and abuse that occurs at the local level that cost you and me our hard earned tax dollars.  You know you’ve heard about it and you know you’ve seen it.

If you’re interested in seeing how your taxes are being spent, head on over to Stop Governing Like This.  You will be astonished at what you read.

And don’t worry.  Just because I’m teaming up with Jennifer Wagner doesn’t mean I’m going to take it easy on Democrats on here or on the new site.

Governor Daniels spoke to a the Indianapolis Rotary Club yesterday and announced his “Taxpayer Protection Agenda” which is a two-step proposal which is to further strengthen Indiana’s protection of taxpayers.

In short this is what he’s proposing:

First, the governor called for final legislative passage of a constitutional amendment to make permanent the caps on property taxes contained in the landmark tax cut bill approved during the 2008 session of the Indiana General Assembly.

The second proposal, the Automatic Taxpayer Refund, would ensure that any tax revenues beyond those needed to maintain a balanced budget and adequate rainy day reserves be sent back to taxpayers in the form of a refund.

Audio of the Governor’s speech can be heard below.

 

 Governor announces taxpayer protection agenda: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It seems IPS janitor turned Center Township Assessor Eugene Akers is running afoul of the law. It seems WXNT host and blogger Abdul has caught Akers handing out political literature to those who go to the Center Township assessor’s office to protest their assessment. Taxpayers are given this piece of paper:

“JUST SAY NO!

If you wish to retain local representation in Center Township, vote NO on the November 4th General Election Referendum issue:

“Should the assessing duties of the Elected Township Assessor in the township be transferred to the County Assessor?”

Please look for this referendum on the backside of your ballot!

JUST SAY NO!
Thank you for your Support!”

According to Abdul, there was no standard disclaimer on this piece of political material nor a statement of who paid for the flyer. Abdul states the State Board of Accounts “would take exception to the township assessor paying for political activities out of public funds.”

Instead of just hearing about the Kernan-Shepard Commission’s report on how to reform local government, you may want to check it out.  Click here to read the 46 page report.

Over the holidays I hope to post some thoughts about this report and if you read the report I welcome your informed commenting.

Let the debate begin.