The gist of politcal reporter Lesley Stedman Weidenbener's Sunday column in the Louisville Courier-Journal is well-stated in the lead: "It would seem big changes are coming in the way state government operates — no matter who is elected governor in November."
She discusses the proposals of the two gubernatorial candidates, then points out:
Legislative leaders seemed open to the ideas. Support from lawmakers is essential. Many of these changes can't be made without their help. In fact, the General Assembly appointed its own commission last year to look at government efficiency.The Indianapolis Star has an editorial today on state government reorganization. Some point from the middle of the piece:Committees and subcommittees have been meeting for 18 months, looking for ways to reorganize agencies and services to save money and provide more efficient services.
For lawmakers, perhaps the most politically difficult change — and one proposed by both gubernatorial candidates — would eliminate some of the state's many quasi-governmental agencies and get rid of some boards and commissions. The majority of those boards are the creation of the General Assembly.
Yet as proven by Wisconsin's welfare overhaul -- the model for the federal-level effort -- and Florida's efficiency efforts, government reform can be achieved. The secret of their success? A governor who devoted the earliest days of his term to the effort, a clear set of objectives and goals, dedication to drilling down details, an open process that included all players -- including the very bureaucrats who can bog down such efforts -- and the creation of a performance measurement system.Posted by Marcia Oddi at October 3, 2004 07:40 AMThe next governor must apply those lessons to accomplish reform. His objectives also must go beyond eliminating waste and corruption. Deciding on what efforts government should concentrate on and what it should leave to the private sector also must come into play.
With 74 state agencies and 319 different boards, including the 41 that oversee the Family and Social Services Administration, Indiana state government could certainly use an overhaul. That can be seen in the state's more than $800 million budget deficit. A spate of fraud and identity theft at the Public Employees Retirement Fund, child deaths in cases handled by the Family and Social Services Administration and the morass at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles also are evidence of a government running on empty.
Such corruption and incompetence don't merely affect state government affairs. The botched six-year revamp of the property tax reassessment rules, along with delays and errors at county and township assessment levels, have led school systems such as Indianapolis Public Schools to borrow money to stay afloat. That an agriculture-related firm, for example, has to deal with at least two different agencies for permits and rules compliance also makes the state unattractive to new companies as well as existing firms. And taxpayers will face an even greater challenge as the state must eventually cover $8.2 billion in underfunded civil servant pension benefits.