INDIANAPOLIS -- Hundreds of Indiana townships late turning over financial paperwork are in violation of state law, but none have penalized.

As of this week, the State Board of Accounts listed 153 townships as having not turned in annual financial reports, due on Feb. 28, while 91 townships were listed as late submitting the forms, 6News' Kara Kenney reported.

The agency also listed 391 townships as having not turned in annual salary reports, as well as 235 townships late in providing the information, which was due on Jan. 31.

As of Wednesday morning, Center Township in the heart of Indianapolis had not turned in any of its reports, while Perry Township had not turned in its salary report, records showed.

The reports are required by law and allow the public and state auditors to see exactly how townships are spending their money.

"Forty percent of the townships still have not filed their annual salary reports on time. That's just amazing," said Mark Lawrance with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. "It shows to me a lack of transparency with local government."

Center Township Trustee Bill Douglas told Kenney that he didn't realize the reports were missing until she brought it to his attention.

He said the township's chief financial officer e-mailed the report on time, but that the state never received it.

As for Perry Township, a deputy trustee claimed that the township mailed its reports and wasn't sure why the state never received it.

Deborah Driskell, president of the Indiana Township Association, said switching to electronic filing has been a rough transition for rural Indiana.

"There is no Internet access. A lot of them don't use computers. So that's a hardship on those units," she said.

Townships have also reported problems with the state's software.

"They've had glitches. One gentleman, one trustee, told me that it actually crashed his computer, a brand new computer," Driskell said.

There is currently no penalty for townships that don't turn in reports, but Lawrance said the Chamber of Commerce is looking into legislation to change that.

"I think the public has a right to know and I think the public has a right to question," he said.

Center Township officials have since submitted all of their annual reports to the state. They said they will now request a receipt instead of assuming the report was received.

The State Board of Accounts does send out letters to townships that are late, letting them know they are in violation of the law. They also allow townships, especially rural ones, to use their computers if they do not have computer access.

More Information:

Township Report Listings

Example Of Township Report