Eyes on LaPorte County - are we next?

This week's portion of the story can be seen in the Times article today, where the state has threatened legal action against the new LaPorte County auditor.

Here's a little more of the story, and feel free to add details if you know them:

• Assessors, similar to Porter County, had a hard time keeping up using the new trending system. Thus the entire assessment was thrown out by a court and they are having to go back a few years and start over. In Porter County the assessment was not thrown out but more than 1,000 properties are in appeal.
  
• The auditor in Laporte County does not want to sign off on the assessments, perhaps believing that they are still quite wrong?
  
• Now the state is ordering the auditor to sign off on the assessments or be prosecuted. An interesting challenge to our obviously antiquated system of running county government.
  

This just points out again the strong need for reorganization of county government statewide. The three commissioners stand idly by, since it's not their job to assess or audit. The Treasurer watches from the sidelines since he/she just sends out checks. The auditor can't tell the assessor what to do, or vice versa. And the council has no legislative authority, all they can do is withhold funds from the other county offices.

My opinion, it's time to look at totally changing the way county government is organized in the State of Indiana. A proposal:

• Elect one county executive, who runs the county departments like a mayor runs a city.
• Expand the county council in number (would propose one councilman per township in Porter County plus an extra in any township with a Class 3 or higher city), and give them the same legislative authority that a city or town council holds. I think in Porter County this would result in 14 council members. The county administrator would act as tie breaker only. The council would internally elect their own council president as they do now.
  
• Those who feel that township government is the closest to the people, should appreciate that in essence each of those township trustees could run for this new council seat and stay close to the people. I have yet to talk to a trustee who is dying to perform poor relief for the rest of their lives.
  
• An interesting side note, this would give greater incentive to forming a City of Duneland combining Chesterton, Burns Harbor and Porter. They could pick up a council seat and expand the council to 15.
  
• Now here's a tough one, I would propose hiring not electing a county financial officer who would be responsible for assessments, auditing, bookeeping and payments. This would resemble the current system used by larger cities where the financial operations are conducted by an employee of the mayor.
  
• Move sheriff to appointed by the county administrator, I can't see why this should be political
• Eliminate township governments, rolling fire service to closest town or city (or districts), getting out of the cemetery and parks business, and elect a county trustee to provide poor relief from a central location in concert with other state and federal assistance programs. Electing the trustee should help those still concerned that budget problems could affect an appointed trustee. Although the funds would still have to be appropriated from the council, allowing some checks and balances.

Just a thought, and I'm sure from the commenting activity we've had this week, we'll get some vehement objection ... that's fine the debate is worthy and honorable.