INDIANA Indiana Ranks 10Th Among the States in Number of Local
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INDIANA Township Governments (1,008) Indiana ranks 10th among the states in The entire area of the state is encompassed by number of local governments, with 3,231 as of township governments. Some township October 2007. governments in Indiana serve in a dual capacity as “civil” and “school” townships. COUNTY GOVERNMENTS (91) Although identical in area and governed by the same elected trustee, individual townships The entire area of the state is encompassed by operate in each capacity as a distinct entity. county government except for the former The civil townships are counted as township county of Marion. Marion County and the City governments for census purposes; the school of Indianapolis are consolidated to operate as townships are counted under “Public School one government, designated the City of Systems,” below. Indianapolis. Indianapolis is counted for census purposes as a municipal government PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS (293) rather than as a county government. 1 In Indiana counties with organized county School District Governments (293) government, the governing body is called the board of commissioners. The following types of school districts in Indiana are counted as separate governments SUBCOUNTY GENERAL PURPOSE for census purposes: GOVERNMENTS (1,575) School townships The subcounty general purpose governments School cities and school towns in Indiana consist of the municipal (city and Township school corporations town) governments and the township County school corporations--1949 law governments. County school corporations--1969 law Consolidated school corporations Municipal Governments (567) Metropolitan school districts Community school corporations Municipal governments in Indiana are United school corporations designated cities and towns. Cities are further divided into three classes as follows: All types of school districts in Indiana are considered by Indiana law to be school First class–600,000 inhabitants or more corporations. All may levy school taxes and Second class--35,000 to 599,999 borrow money. Each school township is inhabitants governed by one elected township trustee. In Third class--fewer than 35,000 most instances, school cities and school towns inhabitants are governed by an elected board of school commissioners. Township school corporations Other municipalities of any population are are governed by elected township school called towns. Conversion from town to city trustees. County school corporations under status, or from city to town status, however, is the 1949 law are governed by a county board not automatic. Provision is made for towns of education that is either appointed or with a population of more than 2,000 to popularly elected. County school corporations become cities upon petition of voters and after created under the 1969 law governed by an referendum. Cities may become towns upon elected board of education. petition of two thirds of the taxpayers to the circuit court. All cities and towns exist within Consolidated school corporations may be township areas. formed by the merger of any two or more school corporations. The school board of a consolidated school corporation may be appointed or elected. Joint programs are established by agreements between the sponsoring school districts. The Metropolitan school districts are mergers of programs are classified as joint educational two or more school corporations of any type in service agencies of the sponsoring school a single county or in adjoining counties. These districts and are not counted as separate districts are governed by an elected governments. metropolitan board of education. Special education cooperatives may be Community school corporations may be created by two or more school corporations. created by merging, subdividing, or These cooperatives are governed by a board reorganizing any two or more school of managers per the authorizing agreement. corporations. These districts are governed by The cooperatives are classified as joint a board of trustees that may be either elected educational service agencies of the sponsoring or appointed. United school corporations are school districts and are not counted as community school corporations comprising separate governments. territory in two or more adjacent counties. Public school foundations may be created by Dependent Public School Systems (0) school corporations using grants or gifts. The governing body of the school corporation Indiana has no dependent public school appoints the board members of the foundation. systems. The foundation distributes the income from the endowment to the school corporation to be Other Educational Activities used for educational purposes. The foundations are not counted as separate Indiana law generally authorizes interlocal governments. agreements between school districts. These agreements provide for exercise of powers by School building corporations in Indiana are one or more school districts on behalf of other discussed under "Special District parties to the agreement or jointly by the Governments," below. participating entities. Agencies created by such interlocal agreements between school SPECIAL DISTRICT GOVERNMENTS (1,272) districts are classified as joint educational service agencies of the sponsoring school Indiana statutes authorize the creation of a districts and are not counted as separate variety of special districts or authorities that are governments. counted as governments. These are discussed in detail below. Vocational education schools may be established by one or more school Area Park Districts corporations. They are classified as joint educational service agencies of the sponsoring An area park district, to provide public parks, school corporations and are not counted as may be established under general law by the separate governments. ordinances of two or more counties. The governing board consists of members Educational service centers provide the appointed by each participating county with sharing of programs and services among representation in proportion to population. The school corporations. The centers are area park districts may set and levy ad valorem established by the state department of taxes. education but are locally governed. They are counted as joint education service agencies of City-County Building Authorities the participating school districts and are not counted as separate governments. Authorities to finance public buildings, hospitals, public markets, or correctional facilities may be established by resolution of governs the authority. The board of trustees, the fiscal body of a city constituting the county in turn, appoints the five-member board of seat, the county commissioners, and the directors which is responsible for control of the county council after petition of these governing toll road authority. The board of directors of an bodies to the county auditor and a public authority may fix fees, tolls, and charges, and hearing. Each such authority is governed by a may issue revenue bonds. five-member board of directors appointed by a majority vote of the building authority trustees In Marion County, construction and financing of who, in turn, are appointed by the mayor and toll roads by authorities organized under this the common council, the county law requires approval by the city-county commissioners, and the county council. The legislative body and the legislative body of the authority board of directors may issue revenue unit involved. Thus, authorities of this type in bonds and collect rentals for the lease of Marion County are not counted as separate properties constructed for use by the governments. See “Subordinate Agencies and sponsoring governments. Areas,” below. Conservancy Districts Drainage Districts Conservancy districts may be formed for any Drainage districts may be organized by the or all of the following purposes: flood circuit court on petition of land owners in the prevention and control; reclamation; irrigation; area, subject to public hearing. A board of water supply; sewage collection, treatment, three drainage commissioners, appointed by and disposal; regulation of water courses; and the county commissioners, governs each provision of parks and facilities in connection district. The boards may levy special with water management. These districts may assessments. be established by the circuit court upon petition by freeholders or by a municipality. Approval is East Chicago Waterway Management subject to review by the state natural resources District commission and hearings conducted by both the circuit court and the state natural resources Authorized in 1994, the district is governed by commission. A board of directors, elected by a seven-member board of directors of whom the freeholders at the annual district meeting, four are appointed by the executive of East governs each district. These boards may Chicago, two by the Governor, and one by the charge rates and fees, levy ad valorem and legislative body of East Chicago. The district special benefit taxes, and issue revenue was created to ease navigation and to improve bonds. water quality in the Indiana Harbor and Canal and in the Grand Calumet River. Multiple Subdistricts established by conservancy local, state, and federal agencies are districts are not counted as separate participating under interagency agreements governments. Levee associations and districts and memoranda of understanding. The district may reorganize under the conservancy district is authorized to impose user fees for statutes. waterways and public facilities.