Governor Daniels Government Streamline Team

Gov. Mitch Daniels has created his own blue ribbon team for streamlining local government structure. This is an interesting turn of event, when soon local government were seeking home rule. After 2006 annual assessment of property taxes went wild, Gov. Daniels has appointed co-chairs, former Democratic Gov. Joe Kernan and state Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard. Louis Mahern, a former Democratic state senator from Indianapolis; Ian M. Rolland, a retired Lincoln Financial Group CEO from Fort Wayne;
undefinedJohn Stafford, director of the Community Research Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana; former Indiana University President Adam Herbert, Indiana; and the lone female, former Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy will be members of the committee.


It is interesting to see Ian M. Rolland a part of this committee. Rolland was instrumental in saving a lot of the housing stock in the core of the central city. Rolland was part of a group that started the Lincoln Live Improved Housing. Many of these homes were rehabilitated that were such disrepair they were going to be torn down. The area were these homes are located are now being overassessed under the 2007 annual trending.

Three other members will be selected to join the committee. Hopefully, David Bennett will be added to this group. Bennett was a former tax watchdog in Fort Wayne. Bennett has written Financing Local Government in Indiana, Guide to Indiana Taxes, Uniform and equal : Why the Courts Overturned Indiana's Property Tax System--and What Happens Next along with some other books. Bennett is currently Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.