If passed, it would create a commission to draft a detailed plan. Then in 2008, the voters would again pass the plan in what breaks down to a countywide vote.
The committee changed the makeup of the commission to include 12 voting members, all local appointees, and 6 nonvoting members. The voting members would be:
An elected township trustee.
A fairly sparse crowd, including no city or county officials, showed up to testify on House Bill 1344 before the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee.
Representatives from the local and state chambers of commerce spoke in favor of the measure as did a Vectren lobbyist.
"There is overwhelming support for this issue," said Steve Schaefer with the Metropolitan Evansville Chamber of Commerce. "There are some in opposition (to unification) but it's a small minority."
Phil Fisher with the Unification Committee for Informed Citizens also testified in favor, saying local residents want unification.
"We believe that unification will lead to more jobs, a better, more prosperous future for future generations of Evansville's children and grandchildren," Fisher said.
Supporters argued allowing House Bill 1344 to move in addition to a general, statewide framework bill was important. Rep. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, is carrying House Bill 1362, which is eligible for a final vote in the House. Buck's bill would allow any two units of local government to merge without state legislative approval.
But Buck's bill would make unification more difficult than House Bill 1344, in part because Buck's bill requires city residents to approve the plan and noncity, county residents to pass it, a feat that may be hard to achieve in Vanderburgh County.
Armstrong Township Assessor Randy Kron, Scott Township Assessor Bob Harris and Richard Clements spoke against the measure, saying the effort was coming from a "small, focused interest group," not from the people.
Kron said he didn't understand why lawmakers should pass a Vanderburgh County-specific bill instead of having them follow the statewide framework.
"Why do we need legislation, 1362, that is good for 91 counties and all of a sudden Vanderburgh has to be peeled out and different than anyone else," Kron asked.
He asked that if House Bill 1344 moved forward, it should include a provision to require passage by county, noncity residents too.
"It needs to be a win-win for both sides, not a hostile takeover," Kron said.
Rep. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mount Vernon, is a member of the committee and was the only local legislator who attended the meeting.
He acknowledged that there are two active sides to the debate locally.
"I would ask the committee to listen to both sides and realize this isn't about the rhetoric or the lobbying for or against consolidation," he said. "Let the people of Vanderburgh County decide if they want to continue to look at this."
"I expect to see an amendment preventing a hostile takeover," said Rep. Vern Tincher, D-Terre Haute. "If it doesn't, then I'll vote no on (final passage)."
Reps Eric Koch, R-Bedford, and David Wolkins, R-Winona Lake, echoed that sentiment.
"This thing's on vapors," Wolkins said.
Consolidation backers argue that establishing taxing districts based on services received would protect rural residents against unfair tax increases.
Other members of the local delegation said they were torn about how to set up the referendums and whether to require a majority of county, non-city residents to approve the plan.
"I am getting phone calls and e-mails about that," said Rep. Dennis Avery, D-Evansville. "I'll look at it with an open mind."
"I think it would make unification more difficult, but then again maybe those (county, non-city) residents have a right to say whether they want to be part of the city," he said.
Rep. Suzanne Crouch, R-Evansville, agreed.
"I see both sides," Crouch said. "I don't know."
Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, said she'll consider that debate when and if the bill is in the Senate.