Some Advice for My Friends in Mayor Bart Peterson’s office
The conventional wisdom is that Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson took it on the chin this past legislative session. The failure of the Republican-controlled legislature to pass his fire consolidation plan is what most people point to in making that case. I tend to somewhat disagree.
Granted the Mayor did not get the fire consolidation he wanted, I think he got something a little more valuable, 45 Republican friends from outside of Indianapolis. Many of the lawmakers I spoke to outside of Indianapolis told me they were getting sick and tired of the Mayor coming back and asking for consolidation. However, they seemed to be more annoyed at their Marion County counterparts who had inherently opposed the measure.
State Rep. Billy Bright put it best, “I didn’t come here to be an Indianapolis City-County councilmember. I came here to be a State Representative.” Many of the behind the scene folks will admit privately that the big obstacle for consolidation was the Marion County delegation. Now in all do fairness, the Marion County folks will say they did not oppose consolidation, but they did oppose the Mayor’s plan. Take that for what you will.
What is interesting though in all this is that the Mayor blamed the legislature for consolidation failing. I don’t think that’s completely fair because the true obstructionist in all this was State Senator Mike Young of Indianapolis. Young had to redeem himself in the eyes of his Marion County counterparts for his abysmal efforts to get Wayne Township Trustee Dan Gammon nominated to the State Senate. (If you don’t know the full story, check an earlier post or buy me drinks and I’ll give you the full scoop.)
My advice to Mayor Peterson is three-fold. First, send the Speaker of the House Brian Bosma a “thank you” card for getting consolidation as far as it did. Second, I’d work with non-Marion County Republicans to try to pass consolidation next year. Third, I’d use the current consolidation law and chat with Washington Township Trustee Gwen Horth and consolidate IFD with the Washington Township fire department. Gwen is not running for re-election and the Township Board has already come out in favor of the proposal. And I’m sure a memorandum of understanding could be put together to protect the taxpayers from an increase in taxes. Once those two get started, I don’t see why Lawrence and Perry wouldn’t be next on the lists; Lawrence, because that’s where the Speaker resides and Perry because there is a revolution afoot. Get enough people on board and eventually you’ll get your consolidation.
I don’t subscribe to the theory that the Township Trustees would join together on their own, because if they were capable of doing it, they would have done so already.
So my advice to my friends in the Mayor’s Office is drop the blame game and get to work. You have the bully pulpit, they savvy, and the consolidation-friendly media to help you get your point out. Now stop reading this brilliant post and get to work.
