Did you know? Go to www.HoosiersforDemocracy.org to sign the online petition.
Lake, Prairie and Seward township trustees attended the Nov. 30th township rally in Elkhart County at the Concord Fire Station 1. Why does this affect you as a taxpayer?
The Kernan-Shepard Report recommends to the state legislators and governor to do away with township government. The average person may think this sounds good and will save the taxpayer money. Don't be fooled. There has been no fiscal study done to prove a cost savings with this report, why not do one? Let's delay this bill and see what happens with property taxes from the last legislative session, that may prove to be a disaster to all local budgets. The effect of this won't be seen for a couple of years to most areas, but some areas are already looking at cut backs for public safety and other services.
Do you really want one county executive to run all of our townships and county? That is a lot of power for one person to have. One county executive will administer the duties of auditor, treasurer, recorder, assessor, surveyor, sheriff, coroner, county council, commissioners and township trustees. This one county executive will be able to appoint anyone they see fit to perform the above duties. You as a taxpayer will lose your right to vote for these now elected officials. The commission recommends one single elected legislative body for county government.
Township trustees are responsible for fire protection. The volunteer as we know it will be gone. You will lose your volunteer fire department in your community. This will not be a good thing for our public safety. How far will the new paid professional fire station be from your house in your community and how much will your homeowners insurance go up? Does the legislature really believe that paid firemen versus volunteers will save money?
Township trustees are responsible for township assistance in your township. The township system is the one that works. We can investigate who is eligible more effectively because we know the people of our townships as we live in it as well. Township assistance is for emergency circumstances and we guide clients to other agencies also. With all of us working together we get the help they need if they are eligible according to assistance guidelines. Every year is a different year for assistance.
Township trustees are responsible for township cemeteries. We sell grave lots and see to the maintenance of the cemetery. We also do township assistance burials when the need and eligibility is there.
Township trustees with a recreation fund supports your local township. We take care of, through contracts, community buildings, parks, 4-H clubs, youth leagues and various other services. We live in the township and we care about it.
Please sign the online petition at HoosiersforDemocracy.org and save township government. If you can also contact your state senators and representatives to stop the passage of this Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform, it will be the best thing you can do for the future of your community. We feel they will try to push it through in a Senate Budget Bill and not as a Senate Stand Alone Bill. Please don't let them do this.
