Indiana Consolidated, LLC
Of all the times to have to leave town and go be a comedian tomorrow.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels will announce Friday plans to move forward with the Kernan-Shepard Government consolidation plan. I would expect him to use the state’s current economic climate as a backdrop, arguing if Hoosiers have to tighten their belts and do more with less, so should local government.
Seeing the handwriting on the wall, two statewide local government groups that have been cool to Kernan-Shepard are trying to get a jump on things.
The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns announced today it will support the overall plan but asked for county clerks to be elected rather than appointed in second class cities, moving municipal election to non-presidential years if there can be cost savings and it supports the voluntary creation of public safety boards in counties.
The Association of Indiana Counties is taking a more measured approach. Saying it either supports or has no opinion on 22 of the 27 recommendations, but has a problem with the elimination of local elected officials saying it could lead to less accountability. The AIC is also offering its own suggestions for improving Kernan-Shepard such including the creation of a county wide property tax levy for poor relief, fire protection and library service, as well as the creation of county wide park and health districts. It also suggests giving locals the chance to vote on whether consolidating three county commissioners into one and giving each county the option of creating vote centers for school board and municipal elections.
I just may delay my trip a few hours and catch all this.
