As detailed previously in this space, Indiana’s township offices have hoarded large surpluses, overtaxing homeowners and diverting revenues from city and county governments that face increasingly dire budget conditions. Townships provide haphazard poor relief assistance, while in some cases administering fire protection and maintaining public cemeteries – duties that can be provided more effectively and efficiently at the municipal or county levels.
Today’s editorial from the Indianapolis Star confirms that Indiana townships continue to pad their coffers at taxpayer expense, as surpluses have actually grown. Juxtapose this with another article in today’s Star assessing the fiscal impact of property tax caps on local governments (slashing $79 million from city-county budgets in Marion County alone) – can the state truly afford a Civil War-era layer of bureaucracy given today’s economic climate?
Powered by Compendium Blogware
Comments for Star: Put Townships Out of Business