Posted on 09/28/2013 4:59:03 PM PDT by Second Amendment First
This past week, the Department of Veterans Affairs bought $562,000 worth of artwork.
In a single day, the Agriculture Department spent $144,000 on toner cartridges.
And, in a single purchase, the Coast Guard spent $178,000 on “Cubicle Furniture Rehab.”
This string of big-ticket purchases was an unmistakable sign: It was “use it or lose it” season again in Washington.
All week, while Congress fought over next year’s budget, federal workers were immersed in a separate frantic drama. They were trying to spend the rest of this year’s budget before it was too late.
The reason for their haste is a system set up by Congress that, in many cases, requires agencies to spend all their allotted funds by Sept. 30.
If they don’t, the money becomes worthless to them on Oct. 1. And — even worse — if they fail to spend the money now, Congress could dock their funding in future years. The incentive, as always, is to spend.
So they spent. It was the return of one of Washington’s oldest bad habits: a blitz of expensive decisions, made by agencies with little incentive to save.
Private contractors — worried that sequestration would result in a smaller spending rush this year — brought in food to keep salespeople at their desks. Federal workers quizzed harried colleagues in the hallways, asking if they had spent it all yet.
*
Coburn said he had meant to mention it in his floor speech Wednesday. Then, when he got to the podium, he forgot.
“Use it or lose it” season is not marked on any official government calendars. But in Washington, it is as real as Christmas. And as lucrative.
And — it appears — about as permanent.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I sort of understand the printer cartridge thing. My printer uses them up like cotton candy at $75 per.
Sickening.
I worked for an agency of the state of Georgia for about six years back in the 70’s.
Every year, about 3 months prior to the end of the fiscal year,
there was always a mad rush to spend-up any remaining appropriated money,
lest the agency not be blessed with such monies in the following budget.
I have no doubt that every local, state, and federal agency
operates in the same fashion.
When the zombie apocolypse hits, at least they will have printer cartriges.
Husband was a helicopter pilot in the Navy 30 years ago. They would fly in circles for hours and hours in late September to burn up their fuel so they wouldn’t get a decrease the following year.
During my residency at a VA hospital back in 1992 a older physician took me to a large room and said. See all this stuff. It will never be used. We make sure we spend every penny in our budget every year so we can ask for more next year and at least get the same amount. I have not liked .gov since I got that lesson taught to me.
We’d always top off our NASCAR level Snap On toolboxes every September due to this foolishness.
I don’t know about all state and local agencies, but at the federal level, you’d better believe it works this way. I’m sure like most rules & regs, there was a “good reason” way back when it started, but like most government good intentions, it’s become a wasteful fiasco.
“THANK YOU FOR THE TRUTH.” About time someone tells the public what these AFGE types(mainly the VA hospital Director (GS-15 type),the Asst.Director, just a lowly GS-14, plus the entire main ADMIN offices plus all department heads do. “They blow our money.” They will not turn in unspent funds.
I have seen the “main admin offices” with the directors seal/VA seal re painted, re decorated, and totally refurnished with new furniture almost every damn year since 1989. We have some disabled combat Vets who cannot even afford the furniture that is discarded from those executive admin offices. Look at what is thrown out of some directors office. This is very sad as I have seen hallways painted several different times in a single year. I do not know many 100% totally and permanently disabled combat Vets who can afford to blow the money our VA and other Gov AFGE union types do for stupid things THAT THESE HIGHLY PAID GOV EMPLOYEES DO. They spend the money allocated before the Fiscal year runs out. Show me the ones who turn the money in?
I see them hiring all kinds of handymen/craftsmen and ensuring everything is finishing/SPENT before OCT 1.No-they will not buy many items things for patients/vets like a new dental chair for oral surgery no matter how many vets had to quit the procedure from lumbar spine pain. It is all about the Gov employee(s) with few exceptions of some truly outstanding ones.
Agree.
Nothing new. I’m involved with a school district and the same thing happens with them. It’s easy to spend other peoples money
This happens every year at this time.
As a veteran, my heart is warmed all the way to the cockles and then some.
If I was in charge of the money, I’d try to identify what part of it was used for a “spending spree” and reduce the new budget by that amount anyway.
Most would try to save and turn in unspent funds. That is not how our civil service GOV works. If any agency/manager uses less and less money, they may be too efficient, and; they are a threat to others. Your boss will not like that as even GS 15’s and 14’s and below work for the Lois Lerner super grades.
This week the VA was running TV ads. I about hit the roof. My wife asked why? I explained it was the end of the fiscal year. She understood.
It sure is a great reminder on why I formed my belief that government is a horribly inefficient institution as compared to the private sector.
It also underlines the fact that government is not in competition with anybody. And that it is funded through entirely involuntarily seizing of wealth. Corporations can’t do this stuff because they have to keep expenses and therefore prices lower than the competition. And if their investors see them making wasteful decisions, they can pull their money out.
I heard Bill Bennett talk about on the radio a couple of times that under Reagan, he tried to get the Department of Education budget reduced because he said they just didn’t need that much money. I can’t remember if he said if he was successful or not.
Very true. No business can defy the economics principles of MRP=’s MRC. They cannot cheat the factors of production plus Obama’s regs/his healthcare, plus so many more anti business expenses and regs. Once they get past X dollars to build a widget-it is not feasible. Only the Gov has “our” (tax dollars) unlimited capital in the progressives minds. The sad thing is we are in debt so bad that we have lost our credit rating, our status, etc. Had you and/or I blown money like this and we owed this money-we cold not get a penny from any lender.
Our Gov could not get a lousy title loan as the car/truck would never shown up nor would the real collateral(The Title)). How many folks have 50K to 80 k for every member of their family? That is our debt alone, if that.
Take care.
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