Daniels supports local government reform legislation
INDIANAPOLIS— Gov. Mitch Daniels said in a press conference Friday that he feels the current legislation on local government reform is a step in the right direction.
“I was very pleased,” Daniels said about multiple bills making their way through both the House and the Senate concerning township reform.
House Bill 1181 passed through the Indiana House of Representatives on Thursday with a 55-44 vote. This bill, authored by Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Indianapolis, would give Hoosiers the opportunity to vote on whether or not township government should be kept. If voters decided to eliminate their township the authority would then be passed on to the county.
The bill states that the referendum would be held township by township. Critics of the township by township concept argue that it could create a checker board of townships in each county. If the bill becomes law, some townships could remain in a county while others would be eliminated within that same county.
Daniels said that his preference would be to hold the referendum on a county by county basis, and avoid the possibility of a checker board system of townships, but also said that action should be taken.
“That [township by township referendum] can’t be optimal, but it could be a lot better than what we have today,” said Daniels.
Others believe that the bill should be left as written. Debbie Driskell, executive director of the Indiana Township Association, said that the referendum would be best if held at the township level. Driskell said that one size does not fit all, which is why each township should have their say in the matter.
Daniels also said that he is willing to hear what others have to say.
“I’m prepared to make compromises,” Daniels said about how the referendum would be handled.
Following the passage of HB 1181 Crawford said that he felt this bill is a great half way point for everyone.
“I think this is the perfect compromise…If this is not acceptable than I don’t know what is,” said Crawford.
Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said in a press conference on Thursday after HB 1181 passed that he feels more can be done concerning local government reform.
“We saw a baby step today…personally I believe we could have done more…Hopefully there’s continued room for compromise,” said Bosma.
House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, also spoke about the bill after its passage on Thursday. He said that township trustees have done an excellent job providing people with emergency services, and that the people would take that into consideration if they were granted the opportunity to vote concerning their township.
“I think if they [the trustees] do get a chance to prove their case in their own township many of them will survive because of the jobs they did,” Bauer said.
HB 1181 is not the only piece of legislation working its way through the General Assembly concerning township reform. Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, authored House Bill 1249, which also concerns township reform.
Sen. Connie Lawson, R-Danville, sponsored Senate Bill 240. This bill, if made law, would eliminate townships all together.
To watch Gov. Daniels discuss local government reform click the link below.
