Syracuse allowed to keep paying private health insurance premiums for elected officials

SYRACUSE, Ind. -- The Town of Syracuse can keep paying private health insurance premiums for its elected town officials and their spouses, including the town board members and the clerk/treasurer.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts called those payments illegal, and Attorney General Todd Rokita ordered the town employees, past and present, to pay back about $500,000.

But Syracuse had passed a local ordinance making the payments legal and a Kosciusko County judge ruled in the town's favor in July, citing "home rule" law, saying it did not "misappropriate" any taxpayer money.

Judge Christopher Kehler wrote, state law "does not prohibit Syracuse from reimbursing insurance premiums, including Medicare and supplemental insurance premiums."