CA: State's work force is spared the ax

Sac Bee ^ | 8/3/04 | Jon Hill

[NormsRevenge]

Performance review instead says payroll growth should be slowed, not stopped.

If a proposal to overhaul state government to be released today amounts to "blowing up the boxes," state workers won't catch much shrapnel.

The California Performance Review doesn't envision a radical shrinking of the state work force in favor of privatization or curtailing government services.

Instead, it calls for a relatively modest reduction of 12,000 in the projected growth of the payroll in the next five years.

The state's work force would keep growing - just not as fast as anticipated.

By comparison, the state payroll - in real numbers - has shrunk by almost 10,000 in the past two years.

"It's not going to result in massive layoffs, unless there's something we don't know," said Laura Aguilera, a spokeswoman for the State Personnel Board.

The task force was assembled five months ago by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who famously promised to "blow up the boxes" of the bureaucracy, rather than just shuffling them around.

[calcowgirl]

Ahhh... I told ya the devil was in the details. This report is bound to have some doozies!

Bob Martinez, a member of the performance review panel, said that early media accounts of the report, which won't be officially released until today, have misleadingly focused on the downsizing of the work force.

Even with the slower growth in payroll, the state would still add more than 6,000 positions in the next five years, instead of the 18,000 currently projected. The report estimates that the work force proposal would save $4.3 billion over five fiscal years.

"What we're talking about is the challenge of being more efficient and maximizing the taxpayer dollar," Martinez said.

[DoughtyOne]

I thought you were the person who wanted to see the whole thing before you commented. Wasn't that you? Seems I remember you correcting me, saying we needed to wait and see.

Okay, well, I'm glad to see your stand on principle works both ways.

Smirk.

Once again for the learning impaired, there will be things we'll like and some things we'll detest. Should I put more space between the words for you?

[calcowgirl]

I thought you were the person who wanted to see the whole thing before you commented. Wasn't that you? Seems I remember you correcting me, saying we needed to wait and see.

Okay, well, I'm glad to see your stand on principle works both ways.

I want to see the whole thing (and details) before making conclusions. Hence I said: "This report is bound to have some doozies! "

I was, as I posted before, interested in the particular reference to 12,000 workers as previously reported. If you recall, it was reported as "one-third" reduction in workforce, while in reality 12,000 employees would represent only about 6% of the total workforce. The snip I provided gave the DETAILS I was looking for.

My actions, comments, and principles are consistent.

[calcowgirl]

Lot's more details here:

http://www.report.cpr.ca.gov/

[SierraWasp]

Whoa... Thank you for finding and posting that link!!!

There will be more than one devil in that many details. In particular... WHO were the volunteers? WHAT are they like and what is their motivation/political/interest or orientation???

There'll be some real ox-goring goin on in this and everybody's gonna be poundin on the doors of the Crapitol to not only protect what's "theirs," but to feather their nest just a little more!!! It's gonna be a "free-for-all!"

The squeekiest wheels are gonna get greased, or else the whole thing will be abandoned... Just watch and see!!!

The reason I believe I know this is that I watched Pete Wilson's Constitutional Revision Commission go through this rig-a-marole for nothing and it wasn't even dealing with THE MONEY!!! (the CA GovernMentalist teat!!!)

In other words... "You ain't seen nuthin yet!" It's gonna be... "Katie! Bar the door!" The political contributions and favors will go absolutely berserk until the dust settles on this exercise in futility!!!

[goldstategop]

So much for making government slimmer and more efficient.

[calcowgirl]

Don't get too excited, lol.

I've read a few hundred pages of recommendations. Some have merit. Many, are no more than common sense and leave me asking, "Isn't this your job already?".

Here's one near and dear to your heart (more details at link):

http://www.report.cpr.ca.gov/cprrpt/issrec/res/res12.htm

RES12 Restructure Funding and Governance for Certain Land Conservancies

Summary

Five of the eight separate conservancies for which the Resources Agency is responsible do not represent land assets of statewide interest that benefit all Californians. State funding and governance for these conservancies should be restructured to provide more direct control and accountability to local agencies.

The organization charts are compelling. The current maze of the state government structure can't be efficient, but I haven't seen enough rationale as to why the proposed structure is considered the best alternative. But... I'm still reading.

[calcowgirl]

Here's a summary of the breakdown.
Notice the footnote: "* Five-year General Fund savings and revenue total $10.8 billion."

EXHIBIT 2

FISCAL IMPACT OF CPR RECOMMENDATIONS

Section	Fiscal Year 2004-2005
	General Fund	Other Funds	Five-Year Total—All Funds
General Government Health and Human Services Education, Training and Volunteerism Infrastructure Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Public Safety Statewide Operations	$270,250,000 $815,000 $133,876,000 $56,087,000 $2,204,250 $0 $218,132,000	$49,918,000 $1,139,000 $54,554,000 $24,388,000 $5,938,750 $1,200,000 $222,626,000	$12,437,970,000 $4,918,120,000 $4,123,748,000 $3,363,243,000 $349,631,000 $7,600,000 $6,405,768,000
GRAND TOTAL	$681,364,250	$359,763,750	$31,606,080,000*

Source: California Performance Review.

* Five-year General Fund savings and revenue total $10.8 billion.

www.report.cpr.ca.gov/cprrpt/preschg/thecpr.htm

[SierraWasp]

"The current maze of the state government structure can't be efficient"

Wull !!! Tell me about it!!! I saw a contractor's license # on the side of a pick-up truck and decided I wanted to talk to the contractor about installing a Health Savings Account in place of their present health plan. I made the mistake of going to www.ca.gov... couldn't find the place where ya git to search for the info!!!

Tried looking in the "Site Map!" Waste of time!!! Too many boxes as yet not blown up!!! Finally found it under the Contractors State Licensing Board after searching all the "Boards & Commissions!" WHAT A MORASS!!!

Wull Hey!!! What about that bit about the CONservacancies??? As the Pointer Sisters used to sing: "I'm so excited... And I just can't hide it... I know, I know, I know I wantchew!!!" Phhhht!!! (snort!)(chortle)

[calcowgirl]

>>What about that bit about the CONservacancies???

I'd rather see those boxes blown up than just moved around.
But moving them to local jurisdiction is an improvement.


Here's another thread on CPR

Governor Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review Releases Results
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1184314/posts

[SierraWasp]

Wull... Get this! This just in!!! I just listened to KFBK in Sack-a-Tomatoes interview Billy Hamilton, Co-Director of the project and Kitty, the info babe said his last project was for the Clinton/Gore maladministration!!!

Judas Priest!!! That just shot the credibility all to hell for me!!! Fergedabout it!!!

farmfriend, did you hear it too???

How bout you ElkGroveDan???

Maybe she mis-spoke, but he sure din't correct her at all!!! And he couldn't have missed that!!!

[calcowgirl]

Los Angeles Times
September 5, 1993
Gore Likely to Revive Call for Customs-INS Merger
Government: Familiar plans for multiyear budgets, reduced red tape are expected. Earlier proposals failed.
Author: David Lauter; Times Staff Writer

Sixteen years ago as they struggled to find ways to make the government less cumbersome, aides to then-President Jimmy Carter proposed merging functions of the Customs and Immigration and Naturalization services. Opposed by bureaucrats and powerful members of Congress, the idea died quietly.

Tuesday, as Vice President Al Gore presents the report of his National Performance Review, the Customs-INS merger likely will be back again. So, too, will such often-advocated proposals as multiyear budgets, streamlined civil service procedures for firing the incompetent and promoting the meritorious and reduced red tape for buying goods and services.

This time, Gore's aides and President Clinton's advisers insist, those proposals and others actually will become law. With public disenchantment toward government at record levels, Gore's proposals to "reinvent government" provide a crucial opportunity for Clinton to reach out to the voters he needs in order to cement a governing majority--backers of Ross Perot, conservative Democrats and independents disillusioned by government waste. The power of those voters, Clinton advisers hope, will force members of Congress to accept changes that they have rejected in the past.

(snip)

The day before, a union representing railroad workers had published the task force's telephone number, urging members to protest a proposal that the government's railroad retirement benefits program be merged with Social Security. All day long, the phone had not stopped ringing.

"They're getting pretty well beat up today," said Billy Hamilton, an aide to Texas Comptroller John Sharpe, who has been helping run the project. "We'll get beat up a lot more."

[SierraWasp]

That be ol Billy Bobber frum the reinvention CONvention Party of B.J.Clinton, Albert "gruntin" Gore, Frenchurian Candidate Hairy Kerry and "Shove it" Heinz-Kerry!!!

Hoo Boy! We be's in tall clover now!!! That Arnold... He REALLY knows how ta pick 'em... Hoo Boy!!!

What a fantastic and timely find, calcowgirl!!!

[calcowgirl]

We're not talking Gore's "Bill Hamilton", the IBT guy that was indicted for laundering DNC money, are we???? Please tell me this is Gore's OTHER "Bill Hamilton".

The Teamsters Issue
Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: May 6, 1998. pg. 1

(snip)

Last week it ran headlong into the U.S. Attorney in New York, Mary Jo White, who indicted the Teamsters' former political director, Bill Hamilton, on charges that he funneled money to the Democratic Party in an effort to get its donors to give money to Teamster President Ron Carey's campaign. In that indictment, Ms. White cites nine "DNC overt acts" relating to a "conspiracy" to launder the union's money into the Carey operation.

(snip)

So the potential criminal liability here includes Messrs. Carey and Trumka as well as officials of the DNC and two other Democratic campaign committees. The Hamilton indictment is a logical step going up the food chain. But it remains to be seen whether Ms. White will follow through.

There were assurances from every quarter that with Charles LaBella the Justice Department's campaign finance prosecution was in capable hands. Now comes the startling news of Mr. LaBella's departure with the job undone. This effectively means that Ms. White is now the most notable federal prosecutor looking at the campaign fund-raising scandals. As such she ends up carrying the burden of demonstrating that the Justice Department's professional prosecutors corps is capable of carrying to completion the investigation of the Teamsters union and its ties to the DNC and the Clinton-Gore campaign of 1996.

[SierraWasp]

Wull I dunno! Whur the heck do yoo find alla this gud stuff? Shazzam!!!

[calcowgirl]

Whur the heck do yoo find alla this gud stuff? Shazzam!!!

Public Library... online. :-)

[SierraWasp]

Well, you sure know how to work it, whatever it is!!!

[calcowgirl]

By many indications, not the same Hamilton (whew!)

http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=861&wit_id=2375

Given at a Full Committee Hearing:
Internet Tax Moratorium
Wednesday, July 16 2003 - 9:30 AM - SR-253

The Testimony of
Mr. Billy Hamilton
Deputy Comptroller, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, good morning. My name is Billy Hamilton, and I am Deputy Comptroller of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, a position I have held for 11 years.

I am also a member of the Executive Committee of the Multistate Tax Commission and a past president of the Federation of Tax Administrators, on whose behalf I appear today. The MTC is an organization of state governments that works with taxpayers to administer, equitably and efficiently, tax laws that apply to multistate and multinational enterprises. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia participate in the Commission. The FTA is an association of the principal tax administration agencies in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and New York City.

I am here today to discuss a proposal to extend the moratorium on state taxation of Internet access charges. The Internet Tax Freedom Act was implemented in 1998 as a temporary means of allowing a new form of technology to gain a foothold in the mainstream of American life without the encumbrance of taxes. The authors of the original law highlighted their hope that keeping Internet access free from taxes would allow more Americans to be able to afford basic access to the Internet.

(snip)

[SierraWasp]

"(snip)"

As Algore said to Dubya when the attempted election seizure occured: "You don't have to get snippy about it!"(smirk)