SAVE Commission's findings - La Follette School of Public Affairs ...

15.4
The executive branch serves customers; legislators
make policy. To free the Legislature
for more substantive duties, hold the state
agencies accountable for service and complaint
management directly and through the “one
stop shopping” service function. Disengage
legislators from customer service and refocus
on policy making (see Goal #17).
CHAPTER 4: BOLD CHANGES TO FIX THE SYSTEM
GOAL #16: CONTINUOUS RENEWAL
16.1
Establish a Sweeping Sunsets process. To address
the problem of government adding and
seldom subtracting, there should be a credibly
developed system that challenges the status
quo in state statutes, agencies, programs,
rules, regulations, tax policy, entitlements, fees
and the number of local governments.
16.2
Apply the Sweeping Sunsets test to advisory
bodies. To force the discipline of review, sunset
all advisory committees, councils and bodies
by July 1, 1997. These citizen bodies may
have the opportunity to justify their existence
to the Legislature and provide valid reasons
why they should not be discontinued.
16.3
Adopt full accrual accounting. To more fully
comprehend the cost of decisions and liability
against present and future taxpayers, all government
(state, local, school) should stop managing
by cash accounting. Adopt and practice
full accrual accounting, recognizing the present
value cost of future services, i.e. health care
for retired employees, etc.
16.4
Adopt “truth in spending” evaluation principles
everywhere. To more honestly evaluate
the cost of all actions over the lives of buildings,
changes in criminal law, programs, generations
or biennia, require the practice of
“truth in spending” economic principles in the
executive and legislative branches. The analysis
should come from legislative and executive
experts. The “truth reports” should be user
friendly and distributed widely for taxpayer,
legislator and media use.
16.5
Adopt an ongoing process to sell unnecessary
buildings and other infrastructure. To rightsize
the considerable infrastructure when hightech,
decentralization and reduced resources
make some buildings a liability, adopt the
building equivalent of the federal military base
closing model as part of Sweeping Sunsets, as
suggested by Brian Joiner.
GOAL #17: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
17.1
Encourage a focus on strategy, not details. To
achieve greater results and credibility, the Legislature
should adopt a system that focuses on
critical goals and holds agencies strictly accountable
for results, not details on fiscal inputs.
17.2
Remove policies that keep lawmakers in
Madison and inhibit their contact with their
home districts. To assist the Legislature in representing
constituents, remove the legal, procedural,
technical and compensation barriers
to lawmakers spending more quality time and
working in private sector jobs in home districts,
away from Madison. Implementation
could include changes in policies or practices
on pay, ethics, per diem, electronic hearings,
employer release time, home office technology,
etc.
17.3
Improve training for legislators and staff. To
improve effectiveness, legislators and staff
should be better trained in subjects such as
problem analysis, debate, leadership, long
range strategy-making, consensus building and
asking questions. They also should be trained
to understand technical areas that coincide
with committee duties. Aside from conferences,
legislative training is lacking and should
be a cornerstone to enhanced respect and productivity.
17.4
Study the impact of off-cycle elections. Evaluate
the number and consequences of off-cycle,
off-year special elections and whether they favor
insiders. If so, find options, such as restricted
gubernatorial appointment power, to
ensure representation and a competitive seat.
17.5
Delay appointments to state positions. To enhance
legislative credibility, prohibit a legislator
from taking an appointed position in state
government for 12 months after leaving office.
(Not applicable to teaching or civil service
jobs.) Restriction is similar to prohibition
against a legislator lobbying after leaving office.
66 CITIZEN • COMMUNITY • GOVERNMENT — WISCONSIN: THE 21 ST CENTURY