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Local Government, Schmocal Government

A new poll by Ball State University shows Hoosiers don’t have much faith in local government.  

The poll by the Bowen Center for Public Affairs shows 67 percent of Hoosiers want government to run more efficiently.  In addition the poll showed Hoosiers were willing to pay more for services, but only if the money went to the State and not their local governments.

One glimmer of hope for locals is that only 37 percent said local government was not responsive to their needs, but 53 percent said they would not be willing to give local government more taxing authority to solve problems.

This survey gives ammunition to pro-consolidation forces as the battle over Kernan-Shepard begins in earnest in the Indiana General Assembly.  

Already two of the biggest local government lobbies, the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns and the Association of Indiana Counties, are a lot more on board with government reform than they were in the past. 

And to be honest, the only people really opposing reform are people who are feeding from the taxpayer trough, of course they would make more sense if they didn’t misquote their own research.

Change is coming people,  get with the program.

  • pascal

    So, now you believe in polls?

  • varangianguard

    Trough. “Taxpayer trough”. Troth is a pledge. lol

  • Daw-g

    If township governance is removed, does this mean we’ll get proper snow/ice treatment on the roads? Points north, north/east in Lawrence were an abomination. Going further into Marion county, it was as if it never snowed/iced. Ricketts should give his $15k back and put it in the snow removal budget.

  • Shorebreak

    Interesting response from the public – after two years of media blitz against local government and after changes made at the state level (by a pro-consolidation administration) left local tax assessors looking like idiots and leeches.
    .
    Here’s a basic fact: People respond to things that effect their daily lives – like property taxes. When millions of Hoosiers faced crippling tax increases, the media focused on local government as the problem. At the same time, the media ran around looking for stories of corruption and waste in local government. While that was at it’s peak, the governor announced plans to implement the KS recommendations. And all of the sheep nodded their heads in agreement. This is what is now in their heads: “Local government is the problem”. “Local government is the problem.” “Local government is the problem.”
    .
    And then you take a public opinion poll that’s been loaded with the right questions to support your position.
    .
    Here’s a fact, people. Government is for the people. It’s for you and your neighbor, and to make sure that your community is sustainable and can meet it’s needs. Once you remove your local government, you no longer have the ability to assure that YOUR community is sustainable. Someone over at the county seat may have other plans.
    .
    So in that regards, Abdul is 100% correct when he says “the only people really opposing reform are people who are feeding from the taxpayer trough.” I expect my tax dollars to work for MY community. That means that when some folks over at the county seat decide to spend money, they have no authority to spend MY money on someone else’s community.
    .
    PS – Thanks for the Indiana Township Association link, Abdul. It’s nice to see a political site that actually references FACT rather than innuendo and unsubstantiated promises of change.

  • http://www.hoosiersforfairtaxation.com Melyssa

    Listen to Shorebreak.

  • Boo yah

    Trying to find a place to sneak in this news. As reported by the Obama presidential inaugural committee, Woody Myers (remember him), gave $50,000 to the planning effort. Who said he won’t continue to be a player.

  • Silent Bob

    Can you say Mayor Myers? Has an interesting ring to it.

  • Shorebreak

    FYI – for those who haven’t heard…. “”My name is Roland Burris, the junior senator from the state of Illinois,” Burris told reporters later as he stood in the rain outside the Capitol. “I was advised that my credentials were not in order.”

  • http://none Mauri

    I concur with ShoreBreak Abdul. You can structure a poll to provide any answers that you want. Just ask the questions “right” and the resultd will reinforce any position.

  • http://wiredcandidate.com Matt

    -I don’t trust the federal government.
    -I trust state government more because I can have a greater impact on it.
    -I trust county government more because I can have a greater impact on it.
    -I trust local government even more because I can move.

  • varangianguard

    I don’t trust local or county government, because I’ve known them all my life.

    I don’t trust state government, but I didn’t go to Wabash, so at least they’re the devil I don’t know.

    I don’t trust Federal government, but at least they’re the “cream of the crop” of the lower levels of government. Aren’t they?

  • Shorebreak

    Thanks for the chuckle, VG. “Cream of the crop”. Like a Don in the Cosa Nostra. Carlo Gambino comes to mind.

  • butterfly

    Isn’t the REAL problem … over-spending by any and all levels of our government and school boards for that matter? Soon the crashing economy will reign it all in no matter which tax-spend politicians want to grab the cash … the well is drying up

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