> SOUTHERN INDIANA — A call for district voting in Clarksville

 

Depending on your political outlook, if a new person much like a Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton or Steve Stemler was running for a councilman in your area to represent your district and people outside your area were allowed to vote on that person, how would that make you feel? Would you say that your right to representation is being superseded by the tsunami of “outside” votes?

Regrettably, except for the 1992 elections, that’s exactly what has been happening in Clarksville for decades. Why is it that neighboring Charlestown, with a population 7,660, understands that only people from a district can vote for a candidate from that district? They got it right. Clarksville, with a population of 23,000, allows people to vote on every candidate in every district.

Be it Democrat or Republican, our districts and our town are denied some of the best people to serve them. Townwide voting unfairly favors the status-quo. Fresh blood with fresh ideas and energy don’t have a chance. And that is what is so desperately needed in these tough times.

Back in 1992, when voting was by district, I won my district. My wife and I both had middle class jobs and two children at home. It was all we could do to campaign in the 4th district — but we won. I’ll be the first to admit there are much more qualified and competent citizens in the 4th district to serve us, but the fact is the people in my district chose me over the incumbent. This probably would not have happened if it was left up to voters in outside districts who didn’t know me or the issues close to my district.

One argument has it that since the councilmen vote on everything affecting the town then they should be voted on townwide. Horse hockey. The same is true for the councilmen in Charlestown but they manage to function with district voting. Senators Bayh and Lugar voted on issues involving all of America yet only the people in Indiana were allowed to choose who would go to Washington to represent them.

By definition, we are a representative republic wherein the people elect representatives to make and enforce laws. After the election, we have little say and depend on the legislator’s judgment to do the right thing. It is thus vitally important that these choices be made close to home.

So where do the councilmen stand on allowing basically 80 percent of the vote for your representative to come from outside of your district? Bob Popp, Bob Polston, Don Tetley and Paul Kraft all favor townwide voting.

• Bob Popp taught government and Jan. 31, 1994, voted to retain district voting yet now favors townwide.

• Don Tetley, when he was running, said at a town hall meeting he was in favor of district voting.

• Bob Polston told me before and after he started serving he was in favor of district voting.

Why now do they favor the opposite? Why don’t you ask them. And then ask them to do the right thing and vote to allow us to choose our own representative.

— John Krueger, Clarksville



State bar president defends program



  The funding for the Indiana Pro Bono Commission that Debbie Harbeson objected to in her Aug. 16 opinion column enables low-income individuals seeking assistance with issues like child support, custody, domestic violence and foreclosure to be matched with an attorney who has offered to volunteer their time and professional expertise.  

In 2011, this program allowed hundreds of attorneys to work more than 25,000 hours on thousands of civil cases. The lawyers who volunteer to work on these cases do not receive any attorney fees for these services. The funding supports local districts established by the Indiana Supreme Court who work on matching those in need with attorneys willing to volunteer their time, screening applicants for financial need, and providing other necessary services.

Ms. Harbeson’s opinion piece should have been titled “Innovative Solution Improves Access to Justice.” These cases represent some of the most important moments and issues in people’s lives. The fact that attorneys are willing to volunteer to assist them speaks to the honor of our profession. The fact that state Sen. Brent Steele, state Sen. Ron Grooms and state Rep. Steven Stemler and others worked in a bipartisan way to solve an enormous problem without a tax increase, speaks to the quality and dedication of our public servants.

Because the IPBC has been funded historically by Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts [IOLTA], and now the small temporary $1 filing fee increase, taxpayer dollars are not used to support this program. Just like motorists pay fees that support roads, the IPBC is supported by people who avail themselves of the civil justice system. By enlisting the volunteer services of lawyers, this program allows the civil justice system to be more efficient and provide greater protection to low income Hoosiers who may not be able to adequately protect their rights.

— J. Mark Robinson, president, Indiana Bar Foundation