Sen. Pete Miller has introduced Senate Joint Resolution 2 which would amend the Indiana constitution to eliminate the Constitutional offices of State Auditor and State Treasurer. Those positions would be replaced by a State Controller whose method of selection, compensation, tenure, and duties would be set by legislation. The change would take effect on January 1, 2022.
I don’t necessarily oppose this change. I don’t see any particular need for the State Treasurer and State Auditor to be separate offices mandated by the Constitution. The devil is in the details of the legislation setting up the Controller position. When you look at the structure of state and local government, you can see that the people who developed that structure had become very ticklish about accounting for government funds and how they were spent. This was, no doubt, borne of experience with corruption. You’d want the Controller to be pretty independent of the General Assembly and the Governor. And, you’d want the books kept in such a way that it would be tough for anyone to cook them.
I think it’s a fine idea to combine them. While they’re at it go ahead and do the same at the county level. Also, combine the county council and county commissioners. Why two boards at the county level while cities only have a council that handles all the duties.
I get a little nervous when a change is proposed at the state level only when the same change could be done at the local levels. I’m also ignoring the likelihood that most of our state reps/senators don’t really understand local government.
They understand it, that’s where they got their start. It’s why they don’t want to cut it despite all the benefits it would bring to give counties the freedom to not have so many layers of government.
I disagree, Joe. Many of them never worked in local government. And they constantly do damage to local government with passed legislation.
If they truly understand local government then they, at a minimum, don’t care about it.
I’ve never understood it either, but when Mitch suggested cutting local government a few years back that was one of the excuses given.
Agreed on “so why do they cut it then?”, but I figured that was just their own self-interest in re-election. “See? We lowered your taxes!”
The vast majority of bloggers don’t even understand how their county government works.
The 3 County Commissioners are BOTH the County Executive and the County Legislature in 89 Indiana counties. A majority of two can be a dictatorship. The County Council was created in a primitive reform 100 years ago. The County Council only has the power to veto financial matters proposed by the County Commission.
The correct county reform would be to make one or more County Commissioners the Chief Executive and then convert the County Council into a true Legislative body. Such a proposal was massively voted down in Allen County two years ago. Allen County voters apparently thought that their form of government was carried down from Mount Sinai by Moses.
I remember hearing that our county seats were located so a guy could get there and back on his horse and buggy from any place in the county. Maybe it’s time to review that situation. I get a little nervous about change, too. What happens when you get legislators who don’t know much about county government with county government people who have a vested interest in keeping things as they are?
GOP proposal from a super majority to get rid of two elected offices? Won’t they have to change the constitution? They want to cook the books.
When I hear that the legislature “had their hand in it”, I’m afraid that “it” is the till.
Hmmm. Wonder why I feel so cynical about the ethics of these guys.
It is silly to have both an Auditor and a Treasurer.
If structured correctly, this office would be an important check against corrupt Governors.
Considering the Legislature’s predisposition against reform (by both parties), I doubt that this legislation has much chance.