NEW HAVEN, Ind. — Gov. Mitch Daniels' efforts to change the way local government is structured could meet some resistance in the 2011 General Assembly session despite Republican control of both chambers.
Many Republicans say they're hesitant to make change Daniels says are needed to eliminate nepotism and conflicts of interest and save taxpayers money.
"We've got so many other big problems that local government reform should be put on the back burner," Republican state Rep. Phyllis Pond told The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne.
Daniels says revamping local government will improve its quality. A 2007 report by former Gov. Joe Kernan, a Democrat, and Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard made 27 recommendations.
Though lawmakers have agreed to eliminate most township assessors, they've rejected calls to abolish township government altogether and transfer duties of county treasurers, recorders and other offices to a county executive. They've also frowned on calls to reorganize school districts so each has at least 2,000 students and moving municipal elections to an even-year election cycle.
Daniels has chafed at resistance to the changes, saying he was "disappointed" in GOP members who rebuffed some measures in 2009.
Incoming House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, promised a healthy debate and said lawmakers will be allowed to vote on the proposals.
"Those issues will not receive the orchestrated demise that they received under the prior management," he said, referring to their lack of progress while Democrats controlled the House. "We'll let democracy take its course."
Mark Lawrence, who lobbies on the issue for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, said the fact that Hoosiers voted to place property tax caps into the Indiana Constitution will aid the debate.
"We have to look at better ways to deliver services now," he said. "We can't do business the old way in the new tax-cap environment we are in."
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