Something’s gotta change

You can make the case that the structure of county government in Iowa must be changed. Finding political will to make it happen remains a huge obstacle.

That Iowa has too much government for its population and resources to afford has been an issue for some time. A decade ago, Gov. Tom Vilsack's Iowa 2010 strategic planning council identified “smart government” as one of its key goals. Why? Well, the state's per capita income then was 13 percent less than the national average, while state and local government revenues per capita were just 2 percent below the national average. Thus, the tax burden on individuals and businesses was substantially higher than in many other states.

That scenario hasn't changed much. And Iowa 2010's recommendations for streamlining state and local government have been carried out only to a limited degree. One recommendation called for the state to permit counties the option of merger and/or establishing new forms of government. It hasn't happened.

Meanwhile, counties have stepped up efforts to share employees and equipment in recent years. They are thinking more regionally by getting involved in regional groups for planning, economic development groups and transportation needs. They have consolidated some offices.

Good. But is it enough, as Iowa's demographics continue to change? We doubt it.

Formal merger of counties is still a political graveyard for state legislators and is resisted by many county officials.

As Dean Darling, Winneshiek County supervisor told The Gazette last week, “That's (merging) something the Legislature would have to impose, because undoubtedly there would be a lot of turf issues.”

County leaders fear mergers would diminish local control, making it more difficult to address local preferences. And consolidation doesn't always save money.

Yet more and more county leaders recognize the potential benefits of cooperating as a geographic region with similar economic and service needs. It also gives them a stronger voice when it comes to lobbying state and federal officials. Rural counties have common interests and delivery of services is especially at risk as they continue to lose population - and taxpayers - mostly to the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City and Des Moines/Ames corridor areas.

Counties, on average, already depend on the state for 38 percent of their budget. Getting more from the state probably isn't going to happen any time soon, given the enormous budget problems facing the state. Even maintaining the status quo likely is at risk.

Regionalization, even merger, of county governments must be taken seriously. Operating 99 counties as we have since horse-and-buggy days doesn't make financial sense anymore. Who will champion smart, responsible change?