In the ongoing "we’ll do anything to save our jobs" crusade, the Ross Township trustee in Lake County testified at length Wednesday before the Senate Local Government Committee. He was opposing the insertion of real reform language (no township boards and county councils having binding budget authority) into the township-by-township referendum proposal passed by the House.

The trustee, who also serves as the head of the United Township Association, explained that the township is important. He said his office receives donations for 170 children to enjoy Christmas. Based on his 2008 annual financial report, people young and old also must get the opportunity to enjoy the Fourth of July. Among the expenses listed: $24,000 to Mad Bomber Fireworks Prod., Inc.

That’s your taxpayer money — at least those in Lake County. Can we really let it go up in smoke like that?

A popular phrase about Washington politics is that the the republic — or at least your tax dollars — are safer when Congress is not in session. If that is the case, one can rest easy for a fortnight (always liked that British term). Snow shut down the nation’s capital last week and a President’s Day recess takes lawmakers back home or elsewhere in the coming days.

What about in the Hoosier state? Legislators seem determined to exit Indianapolis quickly. Whether any harm is done before that time remains to be seen. The General Assembly session must end by March 14, but the committee deadline is being pushed ahead by a week and all involved are trying to wrap up business by March 5. Is that good or bad for you?

• Good if the increase in unemployment insurance taxes is delayed. It seems straighforward. Leave last year’s increase intact and companies will pay near $350 million more in taxes, the trust fund will remain woefully out of balance and employees will lose their jobs because battered businesses have no other place to cut. Legislators, particularly those in the House, need to hear from you. Check out the details and make a difference
• Bad if they proceed with passing legislation that prohibits employers from having a policy that disallows guns in the workplace. This appears headed to the governor, however, so a veto is likely the best hope for common sense to prevail. Here are the details
• Good if someone in power stands up for taxpayers and the poor and strives to bring about meaningful township reform. Our money is not being used wisely and the poor are not getting all they deserve with administrative costs that exceed actual relief. Meaningful is not a township-by-township referendum, but — for a start — getting rid of advisory boards and letting county councils have binding budget overview. Read more

Sure, there are a few other issues out there. But get these three right and the good will exceed the harm.

One of the more legendary figures in Indiana newspaper history is Jim Barbieri, who spent more than 50 years at the Bluffton News-Banner. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Barbieri several times during his career that carried far beyond the publication he guided and into the communities it served.

I do not know Mark Miller, current president and publisher of the News-Banner. But his column in Monday’s edition nails the local government reform debate on the head. It makes it clear that communities, whether big or small, and citizens are victimized by the current structure and modernization is mandatory. Barbieri undoubtedly would be proud, and lawmakers should take notice.

Below is a summary; here is a link to the full column.

It’s clear to me that the argument that these administrative and technical offices — the treasurer, auditor, clerk, assessor, coroner, surveyor and recorder — “answer to the voters” is empty nonsense. Voters cannot be there every day to ensure things are getting done. Voters cannot decipher who is at fault when two key offices cannot cooperate over a number of years. Voters are not in a position to make these judgments.

Voters can select and monitor leaders. Voters cannot supervise day-to-day details.

It’s clear to me that, short of a constitutional convention (a long shot indeed), it is politically impossible to put most of the Kernan-Shepherd proposals into practice, at least in one swoop. Too many turfs being covered, too many worried about re-election.

There is an argument to let the voters decide, to put out a proposal to go from three commissioners to one or not, to appoint or elect department office heads and see what the public wants. But years ago, our ancestors didn’t get to vote on government structure. There is an argument that it’s way too complicated to put on a ballot.

And inertia — the resistance to change the way things are — is a pretty powerful force. 

OK, we realize it’s February and the end of December/beginning of January were the times for the "top 10" lists for the past year or decade. But in looking at Indiana Chamber advocacy efforts, we couldn’t resist putting together some of the top issues in which we’ve been fighting the good fight for the business community. We didn’t rank them; that would be a really tough job.

I, and quite a few others on the Chamber team, have been here throughout (not the 1922 official start of the organization) — dating back to the 2002 tax restructuring and including key victories in economic development, education, tax, local government and more. The one-pager can be found here; but first a few observations.

• 2005 was simply a big year. Daylight Savings Time became a reality after only more than a few decades of trying, a series of important education policies were enacted and a variety of tax credits were expanded
• The most underrated item on the list, in my view, has a 2005 connection as well. The creation of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation took place in 2003 with a scheduled implementation in July 2005. Gov. Mitch Daniels, however, made the transition priority one upon taking office that January and the IEDC was off and running on a record-setting period of private sector investment and job creation
• A 2008 entry, removal of township assessors, MUST be complemented by additional local government reform measures. Whether it’s this year, in 2011 or through other measures, it’s time has more than come for taxpayers, local residents and all involved

Advocacy, of course, is just one way the Chamber works for its nearly 5,000 members and 800,000 employees of those Hoosier companies. But it’s a big one, making a difference each and every day.

The focus on local government reform efforts in 2010 has been and will continue to be on townships. If you’ve missed that debate thus far, check out some amendments that unfortunately didn’t pass here and practical points on the need for change from Rep. Ed DeLaney here. You can even have your say on the Indiana Prosperity Project web site.

But another reform bill is to be heard today in the Senate Elections Committee. SB 241 contains some common sense provisions that should be adopted. Among them:

• Move city elections to even-numbered years (it costs a lot of money to conduct elections; why separate votes on municipal candidates from others)
• Place the names of city candidates before those running for township offices (who should not be on the ballot anyway)
• Give counties the option of electing a single county chief executive in place of the board of county commissioners(similar to how presidents, governors and mayors serve countries, states and cities). In addition, the county council would become the legislative and fiscal body
• Prevents employees who work in a political subdivision (city, county) from serving on the legislative body that governs that subdivision. In other words, stop people from having a say in deciding their own raises and other issues that directly impact their job. This is a growing problem in a number of areas

These would be good first steps toward a government that operates more effectively and efficiently. 

Missing from the 2009 discussion of local government reform was a true debate in the House of Representatives. That may be remedied this morning.

A year ago, the Government and Regulatory Reform Committee conducted one abbreviated, orchestrated meeting that was intended to — and successfully — shut down the reform debate for that session. This time around, HB 1181 (passed out of committee 11-0 on Monday and featuring a proposed township-by-township referendum) will be on second reading.

Among the proposed amendments:

• No taxing authority for townships that have excess revenues that exceed 50% of their annual budget
• Strong anti-nepotism language
• An ethics provision preventing elected officials from serving on the legislative body of the entity they work for
• Several amendments from ranking minority committee member Phil Hinkle (R-Indianapolis), including eliminating township advisory boards and giving county councils budget authority. This would make the township referendum, if it goes forward, a vote on the trustee role only

It will be interesting to see how this unfolds. Later today, the Senate Local Government Committee tackles its own legislation in this area.