JOSE:  YOU SAID IT EXACTLY RIGHT.  I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES THIS
IDEA HAS BEEN AROUND (oh, yes I can kinda: at least as long as I have
been :-) - 'cause tain't new!)  Township government is the "roots" of it
all - and it's best to keep that foundation secure!!!! AND DON'T YOU
FORGET IT!!  And the congregation said: AMEN!!

PATRICIA WILLIAMS
Fiscal Officer
West Chester Township
513-759-7220
[log in to unmask] 
-----Original Message-----
From: Butler County Township Association
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jose Alvarez
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 9:49 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Article related to Towships in Indiana

Christine,
Thanks for info. Note, this issue comes up every couple of years. I
believe it gets sparked by certain powers here in Ohio that truly want
to eliminate Township government. Ohio's system is actually pretty
unique, and more importantly, works pretty well. In Ohio I would think
any changes would constitute a change in the ORC so it may be a bit more
difficult to screw with. The other angle used by what I call
"metropolitanists" is to claim the benefits and efficiencies of large
regional (sometimes county-wide) governments, in order to run more urban
areas. Cincinnati teases the outlying areas with this every now and
then. That's what we all need, is incompetent Cincinnati style
government running the region, or worse the Dayton-Cinci Metroplex

Jose Alvarez



---- Christine Matacic <[log in to unmask]> wrote: 
> All,  
> 
> FYI - see below regarding Indiana (also attached).
> 
> Christine Matacic
> 
> 
> State Senate OKs township bill
> 
> 
> By Mary Beth Schneider
> 
> Posted: February 24, 2009
> 
>  
> 
> After intense debate, the Indiana Senate today voted 28-22 for a bill
that could reshape the face of township government in Indiana.
> 
> The measure, which now goes to the Indiana House, is a centerpiece of
the local government reforms pushed by Gov. Mitch Daniels and backed by
a coalition of business, civic and political leaders, Mysmartgov.org.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Senate Bill 512, most of which does not apply to Marion County, would
eliminate township boards in all other 91 counties and require their
budgets to be approved by the county council. 
> 
> If that budget had a balance of more than 10 percent of their
operating budget, the county could decide whether the reserves should be
spent before asking property taxpayers to chip in more tax dollars.
> 
> It also bars township trustees, including in Marion County, from
hiring their own relatives. Relatives who currently are employees would
have to find new jobs by Jan. 1, 2011. 
> 
> The bill had originally sought to eliminate township government
altogether, but that push faced intense opposition both among lawmakers
and local government officials. It limped out of committee, but was
strengthened through amendments in the full Senate on Monday.
> 
> Sen. Connie Lawson, the Danville Republican who was the chief sponsor
of the bill, urged her colleagues to vote for it, saying "it's a vote
looking out for the taxpayers."
> 
> Sen. Teresa Lubbers, R-Indianapolis, said there are few issues her
constituents care more about than the reshaping of township government,
and said she was dismayed that it does not also abolish boards in Marion
County townships. 
> 
> Marion County voters, she said, already gave their approval to
eliminating township assessors. She said she'd be working as the bill
progresses now to the House to try to strengthen it to include Marion
County.
> 
> But Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, a former township trustee, argued
that this was a step not only toward bigger government, but to the
demise of representative government in the United States.
> 
> While critics of township government have cited various incidents of
the misuse of funds by township officials, Kruse cited a list of
misdeeds he said members of Congress had committed - and noted no one is
suggesting that because of those that Congress be eliminated.
> 
> Kruse also argued that "picking on" township government won't mean tax
savings. 
> Township government only accounts for 3 percent of all property tax
dollars statewide, he said. Lawson, though, challenged that, noting that
in some townships, it's a lot higher.
> 
> "Congratulations to (David Long State Senate Pro Tem) and the Senate
for a strong and courageous performance in reforming local government
and protecting taxpayers," Daniels said in a news release today. "We've
seen breakthroughs on townships, county government, libraries and
elections, all of which will reduce confusion, waste, nepotism, and
conflicts of interest all across our state."
> 
> Call Star reporter Mary Beth Schneider at (317) 444-2772.
> 
> Add your thoughts: Post a comment
> 
> IndyStar readers have left 6 comments - Join the discussion! 
> 
> Most recent comments:
> 
>    Newest firstOldest first
> 
>  
> 
> IndianaJane wrote:
> 
> Replying to skiers:
> 
> Shame on all those senators who refuse to get rid of the township.
They care nothing about the taxpayer. We need to vote thgem all out.
> 
> 
> 
> Anything that replaces the township trustees is going to cost us more.
Bet on it!
> 
> "Township government only accounts for 3 percent of all property tax
dollars statewide"
> Since the trustees make almost nothing (outside of Marion Co), there
is no cheaper form of local government - to assess personal property and
help the poor.
> 2/25/2009 1:19:25 AM 
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> skiers wrote:
> 
> Shame on all those senators who refuse to get rid of the township.
They care nothing about the taxpayer. We need to vote thgem all out.
> 2/25/2009 12:27:44 AM 
> 
> Shame on all those senators who refuse to get rid of the township.
They care nothing about the taxpayer.   We need to vote thgem all
out.skiers
> 
> Shame on all those senators who refuse to get rid of the township.
They care nothing about the taxpayer.   We need to vote thgem all out.<a
href='http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckperson
a&U=f2add5582c754b6ca43dcc9bbd5cc251'><b>skiers</b></a>
> 
>  
> 
> altbier855 wrote:
> 
> Let's not get too excited. Pat Bauer will lead his band of politicians
to crush any modernization or reform. Cronyism rules!
> 2/24/2009 9:13:59 PM 
> 
> Let's not get too excited.  Pat Bauer will lead his band of
politicians to crush any modernization or reform.  Cronyism rules!
> 
> Let's not get too excited.  Pat Bauer will lead his band of
politicians to crush any modernization or reform.  Cronyism rules!<a
href='http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckperson
a&U=ef748f6649494699bab995d59774a9ec'><b>altbier855</b></a>
> 
>  
> 
> SuperBob wrote:
> 
> Didn't we vote in a referendum to overwhelmingly eliminate the
assessors????
> 2/24/2009 7:49:43 PM 
> 
> Didn't we vote in a referendum to overwhelmingly eliminate the
assessors????SuperBob
> 
> Didn't we vote in a referendum to overwhelmingly eliminate the
assessors????<a
href='http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=pluckperson
a&U=da9f6a52fb6c411eab497aa73cee4b4c'><b>SuperBob</b></a>
> 
>  
> 
> SusieQPublic wrote:
> 
> What a bunch of spineless wonders. I wonder what Little King Mitch
threatened them with -- or promised them -- to change their minds.
> 2/24/2009 6:55:39 PM 

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