Commissions do little to improve Calif. economy

Sac Bee ^ | 3/12/04 | Dan Walters

[NormsRevenge]

One of Reagan's Reinecke-boosting actions was to create a new Commission on Economic Development, make Reinecke the chairman, and charge the commission with securing the nascent Space Shuttle project for California.

Reinecke not only didn't become governor, he didn't even last as lieutenant governor, becoming entwined, rather foolishly, in one tentacle of the Watergate scandal. But the Commission on Economic Development has continued as an adjunct of the lieutenant governor's office, performing no vital function but giving the occupant of the office some extra expense money and some political staff slots.

[NormsRevenge]

No truth to the rumor Gubinor will appoint a panel and call it the "Do Little To Improve the State" Study Commission

Coming soon to California... :-\

[NormsRevenge]

.

[truthkeeper]

What a surprise.

[DoughtyOne]

Well this article did something that seldom takes place. It addressed California's commission quagmire. Sadly it it was more than a little light in the britches.

Here's a run-down on the article's accomplishments. Who? Not really. What? Well sort-of. When? No. Where? Well, yes. How? Not really.

What are the names of every California Commission?
What is each one of them tasked with?
When were they initiated?
How much have we spent on each one over the years?
What are we spending on them today, yearly?
What actual accomplishments have they achieved?

It's my opinion that we could dismantle every one of these commissions and the average Californian would never know it. Sure the press and the leftists that started most of them would whine about it. So what!

Axe them today!

[NormsRevenge]

I can refer you to a couple of documents,,one from 1995 and the other a piece of legislation from last year,, both of which made and make proposals to much if not all of what you are referring to. I have a feeling everyone of the commissions/agencies in the 1995 doc still exist today and have probably spawned many siblings since then.

Of course, this will then cause this thread to be bombarded by folks who will attack the person behind both those doucments and legislation.

But, what they hey! BOth he and I are gluttons for punishment anyway, deserved or otherwise. ;-)

[NormsRevenge]

A Citizens' Guide to the State Budget Mess (PDF) ... 1995 review of and recommendations are: state budget .. list of agencies and commissions included.

Got BRAC ... Bureaucracy Realignment and Closure Commission ... languishing in the State Assembly .. for some reason. ;-)

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the provided links Norm. Very nice.

I'd have to have some explanation before I'd be able to sign off on some of those board closures. While I don't like regulation, there are some areas where oversight are important.

Should that oversight be state funded? Should it be privately managed? Perhaps there's a case to be made for these boards. And perhaps the state should be out of the business of running them. I still think some of them should exist and exhert proper oversight.

As for the commissions, if there was a need for them, I'd think the commission could be temporary, with a time limit of two years or so to make their findings and report them out. I do not believe in commissions being perpetual. The California Coastal commission is a good example of a little fifedom that has become lord and rule of our coastline. Frankly I'd rather see communities manage their own land. If there was a propblem to arrise, it could be addressed by the state legislature, not some power hungry loonies.

[NormsRevenge]

Good points and questions.

In the mean time, the state is up to its eyeballs in regulations and hamstrung by NGOs that are albatrosses around the state's economic viability,,accomplishing just the opposite of what most of them were intended to do.

[paul51]

Those commissions I get have really done a lot for my economy.

Oh, wait a minute, They're yalking about something else. Never mind