Kokomo Tribune
As we wrote back in February 2017, we have been consistently impressed with the job Gov. Eric Holcomb has done since being sworn in the month before.
It’s now September 2018, and a move he made about this time last year left us feeling we were correct in our original assessment of Indiana’s 51st governor.
“After years of debate among state leaders over reworking the role of township government in Indiana, Gov. Eric Holcomb is taking a new tact in reform efforts. Holcomb wants township officials to take on a new responsibility by joining the state’s fight against opioid addiction,” reported Scott L. Miley, CNHI statehouse reporter last fall. “Township trustees administer local funds for emergency assistance for residents, maintain cemeteries and provide fire protection. The trustees are on the ‘front line’ of seeing Hoosiers who are struggling with addiction, Holcomb said.”
Now, we’re the first to admit we’re not the world’s biggest fans of township government. We think it’s an archaic system which is long past its sell-by date.
However, as our way of thinking hasn’t gained much ground in the past few years, we understand we’ll be living with it for the foreseeable future.
“In 2007, a controversial report, charged by then-Gov. Mitch Daniels, suggested in part that Indiana’s long-standing form of township government be replaced by creating the office of a county manager,” Miley explained. “Following the report, the role of township assessors was absorbed by most Indiana county assessor offices. However, the proposal to eliminate township trustees never gained ground.”
As far as who comes into contact with the most vulnerable to the opioid epidemic, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more suited position than township government. These are the people who are tasked with helping those who need it the most in our state. They will have the most opportunities to access on the ground who needs what kind of help, and direct them toward resources sooner rather than later.
