Battle over townships
INDIANAPOLIS— The executive director of the Indiana Township Association has already testified against one bill that could eliminate township trustee positions this week.
On Wednesday, Debbie Driskell will testify against another one.
In an interview, Driskell said she thinks township government serves Indiana citizens well, because it is the part of government closest to them.
“The larger the structure of government the less they will know the resources,” said Driskell.
Driskell confirmed that the association doesn’t support either bill dealing with township reform, but the group could accept House Bill 1181, which would put the issue of eliminating township trustees on the ballot in November, more easily than it could Senate Bill 240, which would eliminate the positions and move all their responsibilities to the counties.
That puts Driskell and the ITA on a collision course with SB 240’s sponsor, Sen. Connie Lawon, R-Danville.
“It’s pretty much cut and dry,” said Lawson. “The [Indiana] Township Association, from what I understand, does not want to support anything where the county council would have main review of their budget.”
Driskell said there are parts of Lawson’s bill the association could support.
She said the association would be willing to report the money given to trustees as reimbursements for the use of personal property for township benefit.
Driskell also said that her group would agree to restrict public meetings to public places, and not have them in private residences of township members.
The association also would agree to list of the address and regular office hours of the township office in a local phone book or directory, she said.
Last, she said the association thought having the township offices prepare annual reports for the state board of accounts.
Driskell said she will be in attendance at the Senate committee hearing on SB 240, speaking again in opposition to the bill.
While she said there were sections with which the Indiana Township Association agrees, there are other major concepts with which they disagree.
But that’s all. Driskell emphasize that the association disagrees with the main concept of the bill of transferring power from township trustees to county government.
Driskell said that inaccurate information had characterized the debate over township reform. Reports of a $200 million reserve have been made public with the emergence of these bills.
Driskell said that she couldn’t find the source of the $200 million figure.
The Senate Local Government Committee will hear the bill Wednesday.
