The numbers tell the story: In Ohio, in addition to state government, there are 1,308 township

The numbers tell the story: In Ohio, in addition to state government, there are 1,308 township governments, 939 city and village governments, 663 school districts, 88 county governments, and 900 or so other taxing districts, such as libraries and port authorities.

And, they all depend on the taxpayers to keep them in business. Little wonder, therefore, that Ohioans who aren’t on the public payroll are saying with greater regularity, “Enough’s enough!” Their discontent with governments at all levels is reflected in their refusal to approve new taxes and their reluctance to renew taxes that have been on the books for a long time.

Unfortunately, this message isn’t getting through to government officials. It isn’t just about reducing operating costs because of declining revenues. What private sector taxpayers are looking for is reorganization of the public sector, which is not a priority for decision-makers.

Ask state Reps. Larry Flowers, a Republican from Canal Winchester, and Larry Wolpert, Republican from Hilliard.

Flowers and Wolpert have introduced legislation to create a commission to study reorganization of local governments. In other words, to look at consolidation as a way of cutting costs.

“There are probably places you could do away with townships and small villages,” Flowers told the Columbus Dispatch earlier this month. “I strongly believe there are too many school districts, fire departments and street departments. We need to create new collaborative efforts.”

And he offered this advice: “Local government, it’s your turn to see what you can do differently.”

Indiana’s lead

But there hasn’t been a rush by state legislators to join Flowers and Wolpert in their effort to do what the state of Indiana has already done, namely, to come up with a study that details the cost of government and offer ways for local entities to become cost-effective.

But the two Republican legislators have attracted the attention of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber which has made regionalization and government consolidation centerpieces of its public service agenda.

A year ago, the chamber announced that it intended to work on three issues aimed at making public sector entities cost-effective: School consolidation; free college tuition initiatives to boost college enrollment; and, creation of a charter government to reduce spending on local governments.

Needless to say, the reaction from those who would be directly affected by the chamber’s initiative was unenthusiastic, at best.

As we have noted on many occasions in this space as we have endeavored to change attitudes about traditional government, the opposition to regionalization and consolidation has to do with job preservation. Since more than 80 percent of every operating budget goes for salaries and benefits, and since public pensions are based on the average of the three highest annual salaries, no one is willing to stand up as say, “Do away with my job.”

Indeed, state legislators are well aware of the power of the public employee unions and aren’t willing to anger them.

But, as Indiana has shown, governments have literally bankrupted themselves by failing to recognize that private sector taxpayers who have lost jobs, have been forced to make concessions and have gone without pay raises for years are no longer willing to give their money to government.

The legislation before the General Assembly to launch a study on government reorganization demands to be passed. And, the composition of the study commission should be more members from the private sector than the public sector.