Thoughts on Government Restructuring

Late last year, the bipartisan Kernan-Shepard Commission on Streamlining Local Government released a report full of good ideas about restructuring Indiana’s often outdated local government system. Many of the guiding principles behind their recommendations reflect my own philosophy of local government: local government should be simpler, more understandable and more responsive; local government should be more transparent; only elected officials should be allowed to approve taxes and debt; administration of state services should be matched with state funding whenever possible. The commission’s report seeks to move from philosophy to specific ideas. The next step will be turning those ideas into concrete action at both the state and local level. While any restructuring must come from the state legislature, I as a County Council member will advocate for reforms that move us toward fulfilling these goals.

As a believer in traditional Republican principles, I favor smaller government and local control over both policy and taxation. As a teacher, and more importantly as a student of government, I recognize the complexities in balancing efficiency with responsibility and accountability; “smaller government and local control” rarely means the most efficient or cost-effective government, and many times doesn’t even provide the most responsible or accountable government, either. I think it is important to remember that while business provides many models for improving government efficiency, government is not a business. Business is about profit, while government is about people, about respecting their rights, listening to their views and protecting their wallets.

That said, there are several recommendations in the Kernan-Shepard Report I would like to see implemented immediately:
-- “Establish a single, unified legislative body for county government.” County government in its current form is far too complex. Even those who take an active interest in county government – and even many of those who serve in it – have trouble knowing which parts of government are responsible for which decisions. The current division of powers between Commissioners and Council creates confusion and inefficiency while hindering both accountable and responsibility. An expanded County Council with clear legislative decision-making powers and a Board of Commissioners limited to executive powers and implementation of policy makes better sense both governmentally and economically.
-- “Consolidate emergency public safety dispatch by county or multi-county region.” Boone County has already essentially done with this with our move to the 800 MHz communication system (paid for without county tax dollars); completing this transition for Boone and surrounding counties will improve both safety and efficiency.
-- “Transfer the responsibility for all funding of the state’s trial court system to the state . . ..” What we tend to think of as the county court system, including the county prosecutor, are really state courts and officers, enforcing state law. Counties currently have little control over them, yet are required to fund their operation.
-- “Move all municipal elections to an even-year cycle.” Every election, both primary and general, costs our county tens – sometimes hundreds – of thousands of dollars to conduct, no matter how many voters actually cast ballots. Moving municipal elections, with their woefully low average turnout, to coincide with state and national elections would increase participation and save taxpayers significant money.

Many other ideas in the report merit serious consideration. Several I consider priorities, but with some reservations:
-- “Establish a single-person elected county chief executive.” I like the idea of a streamlined executive branch, except at the very top. This is where efficiency collides with accountability. A three-member board of commissioners (our current structure) provides a broader voice for citizens, while staggered elections allow frequent turnover if voters are dissatisfied. A president or governor must be able to act quickly and decisively, but at the county level deliberation should trump decisiveness. The current number of commissioners should be preserved precisely because it is less efficient.
-- “Move the funding of child welfare from counties to the state.” This seems like a straightforward proposal, and it’s one I support, but our child welfare system is enormously complex and any change that might affect the safety and well-being of the children it serves must be fully thought out and carefully weighed before implementation. Shifting funding doesn’t – and shouldn’t – always mean shifting responsibility for administration of services away from local case workers who have the best grasp of each unique situation.
-- “Transfer the responsibility for administering the duties of township government . . . to the county executive.” This recommendation more than any other embodies the conflict between local government and efficient government. The state legislature just adopted legislation that eliminates the township assessor position and shifts those responsibilities to the county assessor, but leaves responsibility for poor relief, fire protection, EMS and cemetery care with the township trustee and board. I applaud this first step, as it at the least improves accountability by streamlining the assessment process. I would like to see the oversight and funding of the remaining township duties moved to the county level as well, but doing so in a way that maintains a responsive local presence and local control will be a long and complex process.
-- “Conduct all non-partisan school elections during November in even years.” It’s my understanding that current law allows counties to choose whether to hold school board elections in May or November and Boone, like most counties, conducts them in conjunction with the primary. I see no need for changing the law governing this choice, but I would like to see our school elections moved to the fall for two reasons: 1., since voters under 18 can vote in a primary but not in the school board election, our clerk’s office must spend extra time and money creating an additional ballot for the different voters to use; 2., primary turnout is notoriously low – since schools are a community’s single most important asset as well as by far the largest recipient of property tax dollars, more voters should have a say in who oversees them, which is more likely to be the case in a fall election.
-- “Reorganize library systems by county and provide permanent library service for all citizens.” Libraries, like schools, are fundamental to building an educated, thoughtful and adaptable community. They are economic, as well as cultural, investments. No child should be denied access to a library, yet five of Boone’s 12 townships have no public library service. Expanding service while preserving what’s good about our current library system will be tricky, but Boone County’s long-term viability depends upon it.

Many other of the commission’s recommendations are worthy of debate and most should be enacted in some form. I strongly encourage you to read the report, think about its implications, and share your views with both your local government officials and especially your state representative and state senator, as it is the Indiana General Assembly that ultimately must enact any proposed reform.