(Between the lines) No way Jose and government consolidation. He cited need for assessors to be in townships b/c they used to be at the City Co Bldg and they had constituent complaints about driving & parking... Also cited former single school corp in Marion Co outside IPS at one time (when? the 60s?) and how it was better to take it to the township level. Actual quote was something like "we're going to have to decide what kind of government service people want" (and, in his view, it seems to be "township")
Host of the show noted something like "Hmm, Mitch Daniels, Bart Peterson, Greg Ballard... all wanted consolidation. This guy seems to have other ideas."
As the commenter notes, Cockrum resides in Decatur Township, a part of the county which voted more heavily for Ballard on election day than just about anywhere else in Marion County. The Republicans also remain firmly in control of Decatur Township, as they do in all the southern-tiered townships. If we're going to truly clean up this mess we call local government, townships have got to go. It is troubling that Cockrum holds on to some outdated view that townships are best suited to perform government services. At least in Marion County, we know that is not the case.
12 comments:
I love this blog.
Yep, here we go again...Heard the interview. Steve Simpson at "Live from the News Center" on WIBC in the evenings can be a pretty good show.
Had the same reaction. Simpson was diplomatic, but you could tell he saw right through Cockrum's trying to dance around the answer re: consolidation, and interpreted it for the listeners. I heard a couple callers too-- they were less diplomatic, i.e. "we didn't intend to vote in more of the same!"
A friend who is an R precinct committeeman on the southside said the south side townships, while overwhelmingly voting for Ballard, did not "support" him at the local politico level with $ or ground support because he was in favor of consolidation. Cockrum's comments seemed to confirm that.
Cockrum isn't the brightest man alive. I was stunned to learn that he had a college degree. At heart he's a good-ole-Southside boy.
That crowd loves township governmemnt because they can manipulate it easier.
Yessir, that parkling problem is the single-biggest reasn to keep township assessors.
Do we really need more evidence that the assessment system is broken? It's beyond repair.
And, altho the new mayor may want government consolidated...it's a legislative matter. The legislation from last session allows come consolidation notably fire departments, which should continue to happen.
But no Mayor can eliminate township elected offices mandate dby state statute.
For that you gotta go to the Phil Hinkles of the world God help us.
Gary is right! We need to eliminate township government in Indianapolis. It is full of corruption in all areas.
Let's see: Former Center Twp Constable caught accepting pay offs for process service, Center Twp Trustee has 3 giant office buildings (one of which was a former YMCA, another has a bar inside), Center Twp trustee drives a twp car that has illegal flashing lights & siren, current Center Twp constable and Center Twp Trustee appeared on the tax delinquency list, current Center Twp constable has a home valued at $300k, Center Twp trustee has a patronage payroll of over 100+ employees at taxpayer expense, Washington Twp deputy constable was charged with Official Misconduct for taking a lane of traffic and allowing friends to use it exclusively to have a party and refused to open it when the police ordered the street opened, channel 59 last week broadcast a series on its news about a federal investigation into corruption in the Perry Twp constable's office? Hundreds of "credentials" have been passed out and a person who had been on the sex offender registry was the "major".
Townships need to be eliminated in Indianapolis! The cost savings in payroll elimination alone will be millions of dollars.
The above commenter is most likely Jocelyn Tandy who ran for and lost bigtime her own race for Center Township Trustee... sour grapes perhaps?
But the new council leadership has already stated that they are lining up to protect these township offices...what does that say? Anyone who listens to Jocelyn deserves what they get.
OMG! Would the dumpster diver STOP already!!!
Love your blog Gary, it is one of the best out there, election or no election.
The question should be, "Did you hear the PEOPLE Mr. Cockrum?"
OMG! Would the dumpster diver STOP already!!!
Love your blog Gary, it is one of the best out there, election or no election.
The question should be, "Did you hear the PEOPLE Mr. Cockrum?"
No strong feelings about townships - yes or no. But it should be considered that it was not township trustees who saddled the city/county with billions of dollars of debt, nor was it township assessors who took acres of the most valuable land in the state completely off the assessment rolls for private business use. Look toward city hall for the last 30 years.
Wilson: the truth is in the post! All of the statements by 12:00 p.m. are true and backed up by court records, police reports, news reports (WXIN has video on its web of the Perry Twp corruption).
Why don't you just tiptoe thru the tulips away from here?
Wilson appeared on the same tax delinquency list as the Center Twp Trustee & Center Twp Constable!
Jocelyn Tandy hasnt been a property owner for many years now. She also has lawsuits from landlords she's skipped out on - she stiffs them. She doesnt pay taxes or rent!
Wow! In addition to adding a layer of taxes, I see that the corruption is blooming in township government.
-And the township officials (and dumpster diver) are not paying their share of the taxes.
If a township official has a $300k home, then too much of the people's money is going to the wrong place. Government is not a place to turn for personal wealth at the expense of the taxpayers.
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