Gov. Daniels Continues Focus On Taxes

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(UNDATED) - A sometimes-enthusiastic, sometimes-hostile reaction for Governor Daniels, as he plugged his property tax plan at a conference of county officeholders.

County officials questioned how they're supposed to keep up with rising costs if tax reform caps the amount of money they can raise. But what really had them up in arms was the Kernan-Shepard report on streamlining local government, with its call to eliminate several county offices.

Daniels says he wants to keep the focus on taxes this year. He says he'd support a bill the Senate has been considering to let counties vote to replace the county commissioners with a single county executive. But he says the only pieces of the Kernan-Shepard report likely to emerge this year are those directly related to property tax reform, such as abolition of township assessors.

Daniels praised counties as the most fiscally responsible segment of local government, but isn't backing off the spending caps. He says he cut state spending growth, and counties should too.

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