Dear AIA|LA POC: as an FYI. -Will Wright
BizFed Board Leaders,
While we applaud part of Gov. Brown’s May revise which included a proposal to eliminate 5,500 state workers and 43 state boards and commissions – with “more to come” – there is MUCH more that needs to be done toward streamlining CA government.
Attached and below is research compiled by BizFed that will add to the timely discussion at next Tuesday’s full BizFed Board meeting as the Board reviews the Advocacy Committee’s priority recommendations for the Governor and legislature during budget talks which includes eliminating wasteful and unnecessary layers of governmental oversight created by too many agencies, boards and commissions.
Feel free to pass along the intelligence. This issue is finally picking up some speed with the public and our elected officials. It’s time to capitalize on the potential to achieve some disciplined cost cutting in this area.
1. CA GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Several dozen CA departments are grouped together into agencies to reduce the number of people who report directly to the Governor. Within each department are a plethora of divisions, branches, staffed-programs, and offices. Because of the vast size of CA government – serving 30+ million residents - it is difficult to get an exact count of the number of agencies – but estimates put it at over 500.
· Many lists of CA agencies are circulating on the Internet but attached is the VERY LATEST alphabetical list of CA state departments and agencies compiled by BizFed as listed by the state at www.ca.gov.
· ALSO attached is a 24-page listing of more than 200 CA agencies and boards (including contact information and descriptions) compiled by the Secretary of State’s Office.
2. CA BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Within the executive branch of state government, there are more than 300 boards, commissions, panels, task forces, committees and other appointed bodies. These entities are so scattered and numerous that arriving at a firm number is nearly impossible.
THIS IS NOT A NEW REVELATION: in 2004, then-Gov. Schwarzenegger’s California Performance Review issued a report that reviewed the 339 boards and commissions in CA. Highlights from that report:
· In 1958 there were 128, according to a report of the Senate Interim Committee on Governmental Organization. By 2004 the number had risen to over 300.
· Generally, boards have part-time citizen appointees and commissions have full-time appointees with expertise in the work at hand. A few California boards and commissions derive their authority from the state constitution, but most are created by statute.
· Some are advisory to the governor or other constitutional officers, or to the legislature, and others have true policy making and regulatory powers. The governor makes most appointments to boards and commissions, but legislative leaders also make appointments to some.
· Plan recommended elimination of approximately 100 boards and commissions and was submitted to the Little Hoover Commission in January 2005.
· Faced with widespread opposition, the governor withdrew the plan the following month.
· Read the full report here A Government for the People for a Change: Governor's Reorganization Plan 1: Reforming California's Boards and Commissions.
Hope to see you next week to discuss this further!
Reminder: FULL BOARD MEETING: Tuesday, 5/24/11, 12:00pm–1:30pm (11:45 for in person lunch)
Port of Long Beach: 925 Harbor Plaza (Board Room), Long Beach, CA 90802
OR call in to 1.800.977.8002 pass code 77252989#
Chair: Mark Wilbur, Employers Group
Tracy
Tracy Rafter, CEO
BizFed, Los Angeles County Business Federation
818.429.0862 ~ tracy.rafter@bizfed.org
A Grass Roots Alliance of 80 Top LA County Business Groups
Mobilizing Over 110,000 Businesses
No comments:
Post a Comment