It would become a lot harder for local governments to defund the police, under a bill authored by State Senator Mike Bohacek. Senate Bill 42 would prohibit local entities from cutting budgets for police, fire, or other public safety services, unless there’s a revenue shortfall or the property tax levy is reduced.
He told the Senate Local Government Committee last week that he doesn’t want to see public safety funding be used as a political bargaining chip. “This is too big of an issue, and this is too important,” Bohacek said. “Let’s be quite honest. Public safety represents about 60 to 65 of the budgets of most municipalities, and it is one of the major things that a municipality has to provide.”
But the measure would likely limit local elected officials’ flexibility when making their budgets. Lindsey Moss with AIM, the association that represents the state’s cities and towns, argued that the bill was unnecessary and may have unintended consequences. She noted that it could discourage local leaders from looking for solutions that could save taxpayers’ money without impacting the quality of service. Local governments that get a one-time grant could also be required to keep spending the same amount after the grant runs out.
But beyond that, few, if any, Indiana communities have actually expressed interest in cutting public safety funding.
Senator Greg Taylor felt that the bill itself was a political bargaining chip and wondered if it was a solution in search of a problem. “Where has that happened in Indiana?” Taylor asked. “Where has the defunding of police happened?”
“Well, I can tell you in my own community of Michiana Shores in 2014, it was attempted, and it took a lot of work to get them to work through that,” Bohacek replied. “Now, has there been threats of it throughout the state? I’ve heard some things. Has it occurred? No.”
Bohacek said the bill was still in rough form and said he’d be willing to work with stakeholders to clarify the language.
