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

20.12
20.13
20.14
20.15
20.16
20.17
20.18
Revamp simplistic purchasing laws covering
high-tech. To fix the serious problem of a procurement
process that inhibits use of high-tech,
move beyond the simplistic assumptions of
current laws governing the purchase of technology
and sophisticated services. Purchase for
value, including service, not price alone (see
Goal #4).
Decentralize personnel authority with accountability.
To eliminate unnecessary delays,
decentralize personnel authority to the lowest
possible level, using experience gained in the
pilot efforts. Downsized personnel services in
agencies will be accountable and become
largely self-funded and subject to competition.
Reduce management layers. To move resources
and authority to the front line, require
agencies to increase span of control by at least
30 percent by July 1, 1995, substantially increasing
span of control according to best
management practices.
Restore respect to public service work. To improve
government employee effectiveness and
confidence of the public in government, initiate
a public-private-union promotional partnership
aimed at restoring respect for government
employees, using specific performance
information from an annual government operations
report card.
Reform total market-sensitive compensation
to reward results and skills. To achieve outputs
linked to mission, reform the compensation
system to reward performance, results and
skills. Total compensation, including benefits,
will be based on market-sensitive rates, recognizing
the bargaining process.
Maintain core competencies; otherwise invite
competition. To keep a cadre of highly trained
and motivated employees, hire, pay and keep
trained the best people to be found who can
contribute to the unit’s mission and goals.
Agencies should have mission-driven human
resources strategies.
All employees should contribute. To enhance
respect for public employees, all employees
should work and contribute in a positive environment
that requires constructive contribution
from all. The environment should
20.19
20.20
20.21
quickly identify each person’s current capacity
and propensity for public service and position
them for optimum personal job satisfaction,
positive impact on co-workers and citizens,
and maximum benefit to the good of the
state.
Institute a state government management
model and common language. To achieve a
management system based on results:
a. Define mission-driven goals that are
achieved through strategies and measured
by results.
b. Establish performance standards based on
benchmarks, applied uniformly and evaluated
constantly. Best-in-class examples are
shared; unexcused failures raise remedial
and outsourcing issues.
c. Establish an activity-based budget model
that allows the Governor and Legislature
to evaluate state and local government efficiency.
Re-examine delivery of certain state government
services. Review existing government
operations and functions to determine which
entity from potential public and private sources
is best suited to deliver services and perform
functions. The review must be a fair competitive
analysis which evaluates whether interested
parties can meet fiscal quality, accessibility
and other public service goals. Furthermore,
any comparison between public and
private sector parties should include consideration
of current in-house costs attributable
to department overhead and other costs that
would continue, even if services were contracted
out, and should focus on measurable
performance standards. The state should perform
such comparisons for such operations
as: Medicaid/medical assistance administration;
mail processing; fleet and air fleet management;
comparative employee compensation
information (class and comp); child support
collection (part of shift to DOR); local road
maintenance and related garage work; wastewater
management facilities; public water systems;
State Fair; data entry and information
management services; DOT state flight instructor
training; DNR nurseries; state health facilities;
and higher education aids administration.
Contract out collective bargaining. Examine
benefits of privatizing collective bargaining to
reduce or eliminate positions and costs that
70 CITIZEN • COMMUNITY • GOVERNMENT — WISCONSIN: THE 21 ST CENTURY