MySmartGov.org

Policy: Who makes it, who implements it

There is no Democratic way or Republican way to record a deed. Or declare someone dead. Nor is there a Democratic or Republican method of assessing the worth of your home for property tax purposes.

We believe that professional expertise is the only qualification that citizens should expect from the individuals who fill non-policymaking positions such as county recorder, county coroner, county surveyor, county treasurer and county assessor.

But every four years, Hoosier voters choose between political candidates for each of those administrative positions. Most voters go into the polling booth knowing little more than one candidate is a Republican and the other is a Democrat. That’s really not an adequate criterion by which such selections should be made.

And if truth be told, the most outstanding attribute of the individuals who hold these offices often is that they’re better adept than their opponents at getting elected to public office. If the more professionally qualified individual happens to be elected, it’s a stroke of luck. But if the elected surveyor, treasurer, assessor, coroner or recorder turns out to be a disaster, citizens have to wait until the next election to “fire” him or her.

These jobs should be held by professional people who have the education, training and experience to do the job. They should be hired – or, if need be, fired – by a single county executive who is elected by the people to set policy, guide county government and oversee its function.

A co-equal county council should perform as a legislative body, just as a mayor and the city council, the governor and the legislature and the president and the Congress function in tandem. Citizens still have a say at election time when they can hold the county executive and the county council responsible for the way the county has been governed over the previous four years. And they can better understand the way county government operates because it will look like other levels of our government.

If you want more response, efficient and transparent local government, tell your legislators. Join us , and we’ll help you do so.