Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels recently created the bipartisan Commission on Local Government Reform. In recent remarks, the Governor noted: “For its size and population, Indiana has far too much local government. Indiana has some 2,700 local units of government authorized to levy property taxes. Governing these units are more than 10,700 elected officials, 1,100 of whom assess property. Few other states have as much local government.”
Perhaps not; but there are more than 500,000 elected officials in the United States, 96 percent of whom serve in local governments. The remarks are correct insomuch as electoral density—the number of elected officials per capita or per governmental unit—varies greatly from place to place. The most electorally dense county has more than 20 times the average number of elected officials per capita.
How would we know whether Indiana or any other state has too many local governments or too few? What is the benchmark for deciding whether there too many elected officials in a jurisdiction or not enough?
In a recent paper, Christopher Berry and I suggest that more elected officials does not necessarily mean more government spending or higher taxes. Drawing on principal-agent theories of representation, we argue that electoral density presents a tradeoff between accountability and monitoring costs. Increasing the number of specialized elected offices—offices with responsibility for a single policy domain—promotes issue unbundling. For these offices, elections are a more effective way to discipline politicians, resulting in less slack between citizen preferences and government policy. But the costs of monitoring a larger number of officials may offset some of these benefits, producing greater latitude for politicians to pursue their own goals at the expense of citizen interests.
On this view, electoral density will produce a U-shaped relationship between the number of local officials and government fidelity to citizen preferences. In fact, that is what the data show. Using a county level dataset of all elected officials in the United States, we find evidence that public spending decreases as electoral density rises—up to a point—beyond which budgets grow as more officials are added within a community.
Indiana has always been a closely-held business state, and it parallels the local contron over its government's authority to access the power at the head of the state governmlent.
Indiana has only one town that has the economic muscle to counter local control. It is economically challenged, because of its paucity of state businesses, except for E. I. Lilly.
Posted by: Joan A. Conway | August 31, 2007 at 03:07 PM
As with everything else, the logical question is where does the law of dimishing returns cut into the equation? It's always this magic mystery-point that must be determined before trying to affix a value, or a real return on investment.
Posted by: Jack Payne | August 31, 2007 at 07:58 PM
Too much government period. Local, state and federal. Jefferson was on the money when he said that that government that governs least governn best. That holds true for federal, state and local governments.
The only way to effectively reduce overall taxation levels is with a federal and state economic transactional tax in which all economic transactions are taxed at a small rate at the federal and state level. After that, the states send monies to local governmnets and school districts based on size, needs, et al.
A plethora of governments means a plethora of tax schemes. Not good for the average man.
The American citizen needs their economic freedom and liberty that comes with the abolishment of personal and corporate income taxation, property taxation and all other forms of taxation other than an economic transactional tax. Easily done in todays day and age. April 15 should be just another lovely spring day. Someday we will get there.
Posted by: Frederick Hamilton | September 01, 2007 at 08:52 AM
That is Eli Lilly, sorry for my mistake!
Posted by: Joan A. Conway | September 04, 2007 at 11:20 AM
Indiana Taxes
Corporate income Taxes
The Business Gross Income Tax (Gross Receipts Tax) has been eliminated. The Corporate Adjusted Gross Income (CAGI) Tax now allows corporations to compute their tax liability at a flat rate of 8.5 percent of CAGI. Because of legislation passed in 2006, Indiana is phasing in the single-sales factor for apportioning corporate income tax.
Single-Sales Factor
Indiana is phasing in the single-sales factor for apportioning corporate income tax. Indiana had determined its share of an interstate or international corporation’s taxable income by weighing the Indiana portion of a company’s property, personnel and sales. The single-sales factor will calculate the Indiana portion of a corporation’s tax based solely on the portion of a company’s sales in Indiana. This change in the Indiana tax code is being phased in over five years and will
be complete in 2011.
Single Sale Tax Apportionment - Indiana will transition from a "property, payroll and sales" apportionment formula to a "sales" only apportionment system by January 1, 2011. This will eliminate the tax penalty on companies with substantial Indiana property and payroll.
Inventory Taxes
Taxes are no longer paid on inventory in Indiana.
Investment Deduction
Capital improvements to business properties in Indiana are eligible for simplified investment deduction from the increase in assessed valuation (AV) that occurs as a result of the investment.
The deduction equals 75 percent of the property’s increase in AV in year one; 50 percent of the increase in AV in year two; and 25 percent of the increase in AV in year three. Investments in real and personal property are eligible for the investment deduction.
Research Expense Tax Credit
Companies making qualified research expenses are eligible for a tax credit equal to 10 percent of eligible investment. Beginning after December 31, 2007, the qualified research expense credit for the first $1 million of eligible investment will be equal to 15 percent of the investment amount.
Eligible investment in excess of $1 million qualifies for a 10 percent credit.
Sales and use Tax
Indiana’s Sales and Use Tax is one of the lowest in the Midwest. Purchasers of tangible personal property, public utility services and renters pay a mere 6 percent. Exemptions include wholesale sales, items used directly in production and sales made in interstate commerce.
Research and development equipment acquired after June 30, 2007 will be completely exempt from the sales tax.
Transactions involving research and development equipment acquired after June 30, 2005, and before July 1, 2007, qualify a taxpayer for a 50 percent refund of the sales taxes paid.
Source:Indiana Economic Development Corp.
Indiana Workers Compensation Advantages
Low cost for employers - From highest to lowest, Indiana ranked 50 out of 51 jurisdictions with a rate of $1.24.
Source: State of Oregon report 2006 Oregon Workers'Compensation Premium Ranking. Rate indices range from from a low of $1.10 in North Dakota to a high of $5.00 in Alaska, with a median value of $2.48.
Healthy market attracts competition – Indiana posts fifth best in country accident year combined ratio of 0.89. Results range from a low of 0.71 in Hawaii to a high of 127 in S. Dakota.
Source: NCCI Financial Call data used in Calendar-Accident Year Underwriting Results, evaluated as of 12/31/05; 36 states; NCCI website as of 1/2007.
Unemployment Taxes
Indiana's workers compensation insurance rate is $1.88/$100 in payroll
Indiana Unemployment Taxes
New Employee Rate 2.70%
Minimum Rate 1.10%
Maximum Rate 5.60%
Workers Training Assestment 0.09%
Real and Personal Property Tax Calculations
Real Property Tax Calculation
Buildings
Real estate assessments for buildings and improvements are determined by using the rules of the Department of Local Government Finance. Assessments are based on fair market value in use, which is usually somewhat less than market value on new construction. However, cost as well as market comparisons can be used to make a reasonable estimate of value.
Tax Formula: Cost x net tax rate
Land
The assessed value of land is the cost or value of the land, as it is currently used.
Tax Formula: Cost x net tax rate
Personal Property Tax Calculation
Depreciable Personal Property
The assessed value for depreciable personal property (machinery, equipment and office furniture) is multiplied by a percentage based on the life of the asset. Straight line depreciation procedures are used.
Tax Formula: Cost x depreciated % x net tax rate
Inventory
Inventory, which consists of raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods, is currently taxed as personal property in Indiana. Inventory destined for out-of-state shipment and work-in-progress may be exempt. Hendricks and Morgan counties have already eliminated the inventory tax. All other counties will eliminate the inventory tax in the 2006 payable 2007.
Tax Formula: Cost (Indiana portion of inventory) – 35% x net tax rate
* In tax tear 2006 payable 2007, the inventory tax is completely eliminated. *
Special Tools
Special tools are property such as tools, dies, molds, jigs and patterns used for the production of specific products or product models. The usefulness of special tools ceases with the modification or discontinuation of the product or product model. The assessed value of special tools purchased in the previous twelve months is 76% of cost, while all other special tools on hand are valued at 53% of cost.
Tax Formula: Cost x depreciation% (1st yr. 42%, 2nd yr. 14%, 3rd yr. or more 2%) x net tax rate
Personal Property Not Placed in Service
Personal property not placed in service as of the assessment date (such as construction in progress) qualifies as a special valuation item. The assessed value of personal property not placed in service is 10% of cost.
Tax Formula: Cost x .10 x net tax rate
Posted by: Joan A. Conway | September 04, 2007 at 11:30 AM