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Last updated on Tuesday, December 11, 2007
(INDIANAPOLIS) - A commission appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels to reexamine the workings of local government in Indiana released its report this morning entitled, simply enough, “Streamlining Local Government: We’ve got to stop governing like this.”
The report includes 27 proposals that, if completely implemented, would have a sweeping impact on the way local and municipal government looks, acts and functions.
The biggest proposal includes cutting the number of elected officials in the State of Indiana by more than 50%, from a hair over 11,000, to just over 5,000.
One of the biggest changes is restructuring county government with a county executive, and removing the commission. Former Governor Joe Kernan says all but 3 of Indiana's 92 counties have redundancies between their council and commission.
Of course, with changes this big, the question becomes, if this happens, then when?
Chief Justice Randall Shepard and Governor Kernon speculate it could by done by Election Day 2010, but since some changes would have to be made to the Indiana Constitution, work would have to begin with this legislative session.
More information can be found at www.indianalocalgovreform.iu.edu.
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