Funding of Constitutional Officers - Virginia Joint Legislative Audit ...

AppendixG
JLARC StaffComments on the
Compensation Board Response
We were pleased to see agreement on some of the recommendations in the
response of the State Compensation Board. The areas in which there is substantial
agreement can be the basis for continued review and discussion of the process for
funding the constitutional officers.
While there is agreement in some areas, there are a number ofrecommendations
with which the Compensation Board disagrees. The Board's response also seems
to show that there are several important points which the Board misunderstands.
Because ofthese misunderstandings, it was important for JLARC staffto comment on
the major elements ofthe Compensation Board response. These comments follow the
format ofthe Compensation Board response.
With regard to the need for staffing standards, the Compensation Board
recognizes that staffing is currently inequitable. We recognize that in the past there
have not always been sufficient resources to fund the positions requested by the
constitutional officers. However, this does not explain why the positions that have
been available have been allocated in an inequitable manner. Had standards of the
type recommended by this report been in use, major discrepancies between workload
and staffing would not have occurred. The Compensation Board has recognized this
fact and has stated in its response that it has begun to develop standards ofits own.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact ofthe proposed staffing standards and the other recommendations
ofthis report will be determined by the General Assembly. The two examples
of funding at the end of this report should not be considered recommendations for
specific funding. The examples are provided only to show how the computer models
developed by JLARC staffcan be used to estimate the impact ofchanges on funding for
the offices. Too many key decisions remain to be made by the General Assembly for the
Compensation Board to accurately judge the fiscal impact ofany specific recommendation
or set ofrecommendations from this report.
OVERALL IMPACT OF STUDy
The changes to the funding system based on the staff recommendations will
be substantial. The General Assembly will need to consider a specific timetable for
implementation. The final schedule for implementation should take into account the
ability ofthe Compensation Board to implement the proposed changes and the impact
ofrevised funding on the constitutional officers and local governments.
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