Written by on June 23, 2010, 10:42 AM
To streamline state government, start at top
Larry N. Gerston, for the SF Chronicle, 6/21/10
Gavin Newsom had it right the first time when he responded to reporters about the lieutenant governor's job: The position is a joke.
Other than sitting on the State Lands Commission and breaking 20-20 ties in the state Senate, which occur less often than a total solar eclipse, the lieutenant governor has virtually no responsibilities.
The executive branch in California is twice the size it needs to be; in fact, 34 states elect fewer statewide officials than California.
And while the savings from eliminating unnecessary offices would hardly make a dent in the state's deficit, Californians would take a serious step toward efficiency. Here are other jobs that could be tossed along with their staff:
Treasurer and Board of Equalization: Consider the unnecessary duplication. The five-member elected Board of Equalization collects sales, fuel, alcohol and tobacco taxes, along with various fees. Those taxes are invested in short-term bonds by the state treasurer until the funds are spent for programs and services. Meanwhile, the controller has responsibility for disbursing checks to state agencies and individual recipients. Why can't these offices be combined?
Superintendent of public instruction: As the state's guardian of public education, the superintendent of public instruction oversees state education programs. But that's about it. The governor proposes education funding, the Legislature provides the funds, and the superintendent must account to a 10-member board of education appointed by the governor. But a secretary of education is housed in the governor's office with a separate staff. Why do we need to elect a superintendent of public instruction who has virtually no authority? We don't elect a director of transportation - that appointed position in the executive branch is where the education department should reside.
Secretary of state: The job is to certify election results and maintain related records. Certainly such tasks are necessary functions, but why should we elect anyone to do these things? Record-keeping responsibilities could easily be managed by bureaucrats or the state Fair Political Practices Commission.
Insurance commissioner: The individual elected to this job oversees state laws relative to insurance regulations, consumer protection, fraud and several other important tasks. For more than a century, this department existed in the governor's office until it was made "independent" in 1988 with Proposition 103. The governor still has an office for consumer services and a Consumer Services Agency. It seems that the responsibilities of the insurance commissioner could be folded into one or both of these units.
Some may argue that these recommendations would increase power in the governor's office: That's the point. The offices are tangled in so much bureaucracy that government waste is their biggest product. At least with a stronger governor's office, there is the hope of better integrated programs and more accountability.
If we're going to get smart about government, the place to begin is in the executive branch.
Larry N. Gerston teaches political science at San Jose State University.
Larry N. Gerston, for the SF Chronicle, 6/21/10
Gavin Newsom had it right the first time when he responded to reporters about the lieutenant governor's job: The position is a joke.
Other than sitting on the State Lands Commission and breaking 20-20 ties in the state Senate, which occur less often than a total solar eclipse, the lieutenant governor has virtually no responsibilities.
The executive branch in California is twice the size it needs to be; in fact, 34 states elect fewer statewide officials than California.
And while the savings from eliminating unnecessary offices would hardly make a dent in the state's deficit, Californians would take a serious step toward efficiency. Here are other jobs that could be tossed along with their staff:
Treasurer and Board of Equalization: Consider the unnecessary duplication. The five-member elected Board of Equalization collects sales, fuel, alcohol and tobacco taxes, along with various fees. Those taxes are invested in short-term bonds by the state treasurer until the funds are spent for programs and services. Meanwhile, the controller has responsibility for disbursing checks to state agencies and individual recipients. Why can't these offices be combined?
Superintendent of public instruction: As the state's guardian of public education, the superintendent of public instruction oversees state education programs. But that's about it. The governor proposes education funding, the Legislature provides the funds, and the superintendent must account to a 10-member board of education appointed by the governor. But a secretary of education is housed in the governor's office with a separate staff. Why do we need to elect a superintendent of public instruction who has virtually no authority? We don't elect a director of transportation - that appointed position in the executive branch is where the education department should reside.
Secretary of state: The job is to certify election results and maintain related records. Certainly such tasks are necessary functions, but why should we elect anyone to do these things? Record-keeping responsibilities could easily be managed by bureaucrats or the state Fair Political Practices Commission.
Insurance commissioner: The individual elected to this job oversees state laws relative to insurance regulations, consumer protection, fraud and several other important tasks. For more than a century, this department existed in the governor's office until it was made "independent" in 1988 with Proposition 103. The governor still has an office for consumer services and a Consumer Services Agency. It seems that the responsibilities of the insurance commissioner could be folded into one or both of these units.
Some may argue that these recommendations would increase power in the governor's office: That's the point. The offices are tangled in so much bureaucracy that government waste is their biggest product. At least with a stronger governor's office, there is the hope of better integrated programs and more accountability.
If we're going to get smart about government, the place to begin is in the executive branch.
Larry N. Gerston teaches political science at San Jose State University.
Blog Comments
Much of our problem with the Federal Government is the Executive Branch taking on power-force-demand throughout the entire spectrum of American Life from individuals at family level through local, county, state, and even affects the Judicial and Legislative of Fed. It slays an observer, when someone says "We got the money from the Federal Government." as if it is some kind of gift...it is the most expensive use of a taxpayer dollar in the World!
You think it is OK to have in effect treasury, education, consumer affairs within the Governor's office . Have 3 different functions of business: fees, collections - investments - payout accounts as for all Departments, Bureaus, Commissions, Citizens, one function with the built-in conflicts each section entails.
As for the Secretary of State - run by union members or "bureaucrats or the Fair Political Practices Commission - the heart and soul of political correctness sans any Founder's work to protect the individual from government at any level. The founders attempted to teach US(A) that it is human nature to take power-demand-force the government exists to form and misuse itself to the detriment of several nations in world history, and America Right Now! Thomas Jefferson, alone worked from before 1776 through his 2 terms of presidency to make our Constitution design against government utilizing its power-force-demand to usurp the unalienable rights of the individual.
On June 8, 2010, 1 man to 1 vote was changed by Proposition 14 to Candidate's Numbers are much more important especially First and Second Place; But: "..and of the State wherein they reside. No Shall Make or Enforce any Law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens.. ...Representatives Shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective Numbers, Counting The Whole Numbers of Persons in each State,..(Amendment XIV:1,2:1)" plus
"SECTION 1. All political power is inherent in the people.
Government is instituted for their protection, security, and benefit, and they have the right to alter or reform it when the public good may require.
SEC. 2.5. A voter who casts a vote in an election in accordance with the laws of this State shall have that vote counted.(CA Constitution Article II VOTING, INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM, AND RECALL)"."
Added to the power of unions throughout the States and the Federal government to make Rules and Regulations for each and every Bill or Act passed, then allowing the unions to run the 'counting of 'we the people's' votes makes One Man - One Vote at Terrible Risk of misrepresentation with the passage of Prop.14 in which the Candidate with the greatest two, top NUMBERS wins! The Individual Candidate Does Not have to Declare Party Affiliation. The Candidate can choose to Misrepresent His Party Affiliation so that a small party can still get a candidate into position for first or second place; and the place in line is a number system -- not a value or position system. The Candidate is not responsible for any political value system but sitting in his place in the State Legislature, governor's office, or Commission; and is More Important Than the Values Our Nation was Founded Upon: Integrity, Religion, Accountability, Service, Unity, In God We Trust, Protection of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for each individual, "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God", Independence, Duty.
It isn't clear the reason for first and second place numbers; but possibly it is - somehow(!?) less confusing or because of numbers because that makes counting fairer - to the candidate - I suppose!? Certainly Not To We The People and certainly not in terms of Primary Voter's Decision where 100% of Voters decide 100% of Candidates to run for office by their 1 man - 1 vote 224 year arrangement - until 6/8/2010 resulting in 100% of Voters-voting decide 100% of which Candidate representing which set of values by party affiliation.
Insurance Commission back into Governor's office. Having volunteered for Commissioner Steve Poizner, I learned a lot about this position: one thing is for sure: had the insurance commissioner been installed with the governor, An Increase In The Cost To the Small Business Owner In CA Would Have Absolutely Increased!!! The Idea that Calpers should take its several billion dollar investment out of Iran, along with the retirement money of unions throughout the US(A) absolutely would Not Have Been Considered. Yes, the greatest number of arrests for insurance fraud and abuse also occurred under Commissioner Poizner as did a 15% across the Board decrease in the cost of running the independent Insurance Commission For The People. The Candidate Commissioner had started line-item review, "very complicated" according to one of the Commissioner's Associate directors, of cost reduction of ALL Commissions, Departments, Bureaus so the 10% reduction would Not Be Random or Across the Board, but Very Specific to each area of 'We the people of CA'!
This would be a much greater saving and a much more complete review of necessary, un-necessary, for 100% of CA State Government Function the Republicans have been after since at least 2002! And That Would Save Money Without Compromising "all political power is inherent in the people" and "..A voter who casts a vote.....Shall have it counted." Our Vote is Not for the Benefit of Numbers to represent a Candidate; Our Vote Is The Expression Of Our Opinion About Our Government.
It Shall Be A Great Day When Voter and Candidate Realize No One Wins - No One Loses; But How Our State, or Federal, Government Will Recognize and Hold Our American Values Along with the Accountability of Placing Those Ideals into our Acts, Bills, Rules, Regulations Will Definitely Win or Lose!!!!!
The Act of Voting and The Act of Serving as an Elected Representative at every, single, elected office from mosquito abatement to President of the United States of America, Our Flag, Is How We Show Respect For Our Founders, Our Heroes of Life's Challenges, Our Respect For Ourselves and Our Prosperity and especially for Our Young People growing and watching behind US(A) will Continue the "Great City on The Hill". The Responsibility of Every American Citizen with the Political Party is a Celebration of that Duty, In God We Trust, the Purpose of Adversity, Unity, Independence, America is Blessed, Gifts, Laws of Nature and of Nature's God, sacrifice, liberty, accountability, service which All Together Make American Freedom and represents why it is so difficult for other Nations to obtain the same degree...they can, but they have to learn...We the people can, but must Never Forget and Must Never, again, Forget the Importance of These Lessons of America to our young starting in elementary school and not stopping even after college or career without college - as part of Who We Are through the privilege of being born in America, This Most Magnificent Gift of God to All Mankind!
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