By John Bebow - May 1, 2008
Way back in the fall, in the height of the state budget gridlock, a little-watched bill made it into law.
Public Act 99 of 2007 called for the creation of a "Legislative Commission on Government Efficiency."
The commission is charged with looking into the deepest, darkest corners of state government bureaucracy and finding ways to make it "more efficient" while evaluation the need for each state agency's "functions and services."
Six months later, the panel is getting down to business. The Center for Michigan is among the interest groups that the new panel has called to testify at the panels next meeting on Monday, May 19.
"The objective to to come up with out of the box recommendations on how to move the state forward," Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, who collaborated with House Speaker Andy Dillon to form the new panel, told the Center last week. "It began as a bipartisan idea and it will continue as a bipartisan idea. the people involved are really apolitical."
Don't expect quick solutions — the group has until end of 2009 to issue recommendations and there is already some muttering in Lansing that the panel lacks the muscle and focus to bring forth big changes. But Bishop insists he's asked the group to not wait for 2009. "We're looking for immediate turnover" of reform ideas, he told us.
The Legislative Commission on Government Efficiency includes:
More than six months later, that new panel is getting down to
6 Comments
Does it include our elected officials statewide? If not, it should!
This is an interesting statement that they lack the musc;e to bring about changes. If there is anything bothers me is the word I and not we. But first in line is can't if you were to talk to any one of our 7 children they would tell you what I tell them. Can't died in the poor house right along with couldn't.
It is possibile if you have the will.
1. The panel should visit the Grand Rapids Public Library and see what they have done to become more effective (and therefore efficient, since efficiency follows effectiveness). See http://www.lean.org and search the articles for Grand Rapids for more detail.
The methods they have used can be migrated to any process within State Government. A Library is a public service just like government, just more focused.
And the word "focus" is a key part of the improvement process. For example, don't focus on the negative (dark corners); focus on the opportunities – there are more of those than there are corners!
2. Don't just recommend. Have the panel pick a small process (their plan for gathering info) and improve it. Then begin to look for other opportunities and make recommendations.
3. See examples as in "1." above and poll the panel members (especially the UAW member) for other examples within manufacturing and service industries.
Combine the recommendations with "Green" and alternative energy initiatives to get the maximum bang for the buck.
This is an important task and it can help the state.
How would we find the meeting location?
I suspect the public should show interest so meetings keep happening even if things are not easy.
John, thanks for this. Do you think there is a spot on the agenda for discussing whether we ought to update/amend the state constitution?
If you go to this website: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/Constitution.pdf
and get to Article XII, Section 3, there is a provision for amendment every 16 years. If I am reading this correctly, the next revision could be in 2010. Too soon to think about this? Or are things just hunky-dory?
Lets start with the consolidation of one or two state departments and the elimination of one of our universities.
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