In an editorial entitled, Desperately seeking home rule, the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette complains about the lack of home rule (i.e. local control over local government) in Indiana.
State legislators, in fact, keep local officials on the tightest of leashes, particularly when it comes to financing local government. Counties do have the power to enact a local income tax, for example, but only a maximum of 1 percent, and then by a convoluted voting procedure. When the City Council asked the legislature to give the council the power to add additional members, the state lawmakers refused to even consider the idea because the council had voted “only†6-3 to seek the change.
The point out that legislation introduced by Sen. Kenley would allow counties that must raises taxes the option of raising property or income taxes. They also point out that, in seeking home rule, local politicians are constrained in how vocal they can be precisely because of the short leash they’re straining against. If they are too vocal, the state legislators have the ability to yank their chain, so to speak. The editorial goes on to praise SB 638 that would allow counties to consolidate townships. It also endorses SB 242 as a necessary measure if the legislature insists on passing the Voter ID bill. SB 242 would require all full-serve state license branches to be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the day before Election Day to issue driver’s licenses and state ID cards. The editorial describes SB 483, the voter ID bill, as “unnecessary legislation meant to solve an unproven problem that will discourage some people from voting.”
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