THE VOICE OF THE TOWNSHIP
Township Government: A Model of Accountability
Lately, government reorganization has been a hot topic in the community.‑ Townships have been subject to unfair criticism that neglects to understand the importance of a complete and thorough examination of an applicant’s financial needs.‑ The criticism that townships are not a cost effective form of government compared to other agencies providing assistance sadly overlooks the effectiveness of its role in governmental assistance programs. Townships are the gatekeepers of accountability for most agencies and governmental offices that provide assistance to those in need.‑ The importance of accountability is this week’s topic in the “Voice of the Township”.
On several occasions, we have spoken about the dual role of the township as the guardian of the taxpayer and advocate of the poor. This is not just a mission statement but a legal obligation. Indiana statute (IC12-20-6-9) requires the careful investigation of client’s circumstances before tax dollars are spent. Unlike other tax-supported assistance programs, eligibility for township assistance must be determined on a monthly basis. Other governmental programs may only investigate a client’s eligibility two or three times a year while spending the taxpayer’s dollars. Township government requires recipients to exhaust their income on basic necessities before allocating any taxpayer monetary assistance. Many governmental programs providing assistance do not have these requirements and know very little about how the recipients spend the money purportedly given to them for necessities. The Wayne Township Trustee’s Office goes to great lengths to ensure that its taxpayer’s dollars are used according to the statute and are effective to accomplish our mission of providing temporary assistance to those truly in need.
In a perfect world, the recipients of public assistance would utilize their income on their basic needs first but reality paints quite a different picture of those spending habits. Non-essential items such as cable television, alcohol and even lottery tickets can absorb public assistance money intended for diapers, rent and utilities. Predatory lenders often take advantage of individuals with poor credit and require them to pay outrageous interest or weekly payments on sub-standard merchandise. Townships not only require the applicant and/or recipient to account for all of their income but also the assistance received from other agencies. Townships require verification of income and expenditures (monthly) prior to considering assistance. Townships only issue to vendors. No cash benefits are given to the clients. Rent money ALWAYS goes to landlords, utility money ALWAYS goes to utility companies and money for prescription medicine ALWAYS goes to the pharmacist.
Every penny of assistance granted by the Wayne Township Trustee goes exactly where it is supposed to go and there is a higher administrative cost for that guarantee. Every penny of your tax dollar is audited and published in the newspaper annually. There is an old saying “you get what you pay for”. Accountability costs and is cost effective, as it costs more than simply hoping your tax dollars go where they are intended. As trustee I will always make sure I treat your hard earned money exactly like I treat my own. I want to know what happens to every one of my dollars and as your Trustee, I’ll always make sure that you know what happens to every one of yours.
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