By John Byrne, Post-Tribune staff writer
Lake County is finally earning its butterfly wings in Indy. Well, beauty's in the eye of the beholder, so some might term them bat wings. For our purposes let's just call them "wings, as a metaphor for individuality."
The state legislative session got off to a ponderous start this year in Indianapolis, and officials from Indiana's second-most populous county made like caterpillars, working diligently but unspectacularly to represent their constituents alongside other lawmakers.
That all changed in recent weeks as components of Gov. Mitch Daniels' local government reform agenda began coming up for votes in legislative committees.
Like Republican congressmen who united in opposition to President Barack Obama's federal stimulus package, Lake County lawmakers "found their voice" in standing against the governor's plan.
Time and again, local officials cited Lake County's uniqueness or its economic and cultural diversity in explaining why the county should be exempted from the various proposals meant to improve government efficiency and responsiveness.
Lake County Sens. Sue Landske and Lonnie Randolph played key roles in blocking a proposal to eliminate township government, which died in their Local Government Committee.
Randolph, D-East Chicago, made a spirited argument that lawmakers from elsewhere in the state don't understand Lake County's need for townships, which distribute poor relief at the local level.
The committee instead passed a weak bill to give counties oversight of township finances, after the Lake senators voted against the stronger proposal.
When Landske, R-Cedar Lake, helped defeat a resolution that would have removed the state constitution's protection of the county offices of coroner, surveyor, recorder and treasurer, the governor offered a quick public rebuke.
Daniels said he's disappointed in Landske and embarrassed for her for joining Democrats in "voting against reform."
The Senate Education Committee, on which sit Democrats Earline Rogers of Gary and Frank Mrvan of Hammond, failed to even take a vote last week on a bill to consolidate smaller public school districts across the state.
Mrvan called the nonvote "a victory for the little guy," school districts like Whiting's, which he said do a commendable job educating Indiana's youth.
Librarians have even gotten into the act. Lake County library directors are pushing to ensure they get greater representation on a local board to review library organization than their counterparts elsewhere in the state. It appears they will be successful.
Crown Point Library Director Lynn Frank pointed to the county's "cultural and economic diversity" in justifying the singular change. But she and her colleagues will also have a louder voice in preventing consolidation of the county's seven library districts than will other library directors around Indiana.
Daniels has taken off the gloves with Lake County, letting his frustration show when he told reporters he was willing to leave the region behind the rest of the state in his reform efforts if that's what it takes to unshackle the vast majority of Hoosiers from anachronistic government.
So left to its own devices, there's no telling how high Lake County can soar.