Indiana

Township Talk

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Are Marion County Democrats softening their opposition to consolidation of the township trustees?  Maybe. From what I’ve been able to gather in conversations with Statehouse lawmakers, they agree there should be some system of poor relief in Marion County, but they are split on exactly how that relief should be delivered.  Some like the current system, some think there should be countywide trustee with a township board, some privately wouldn’t mind poor relief being under the Mayor if he was a Democrat.  

And now with Center Township Trustee Carl Drummer heading to lobby for Ice Miller, it is less likely some lawmakers will go to the mat for the office.  In addition, the three newest members of the Marion County delegation are more open to government reform and the three remaining African-American trustees have never really endeared themselves to the County Democratic establishment.

This doesn’t mean consolidation will occur, but I honestly think this is the biggest shift in consolidation talk in a while. To be honest, I haven’t been this surprised when it comes to consolidation since Bill Crawford voted to consolidate the Trustees’ offices back in April 2005.  Will wonders never cease.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on February 04, 2009 (boomark / email).