The Virginian-Pilot
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RICHMOND
Under the banner of his government reform initiative, Gov. Bob McDonnell is pitching a plan to eliminate two state agencies and 19 boards and commissions, and combine other bureaucratic functions.
Those reorganization ideas will be presented to the General Assembly for consideration this winter; action on them could save $2 million annually, according to an initial state estimate.
The agencies on the chopping block or up for consolidation, appear to represent those McDonnell feels are duplicative and at least one that conflicts with his personal views about the role of government.
"In this tough economy, when families are struggling to make ends meet and business owners are facing declining revenues and tough choices, we simply cannot afford a government that just grows bigger and bigger with each passing year," McDonnell said in a statement Tuesday. "We must strive for a smaller, smarter government that spends the limited taxpayer dollars of our hardworking citizens wisely and prudently."
Facing elimination under McDonnell's plan is the Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority, which was established in 2005 to enhance coordination between state and military affairs, and the Board of Towing and Recovery Operators.
Several other agencies would be merged, including those that serve disabled citizens, and those that perform correctional functions. Also on the merger list is the Virginia War Memorial, which would be folded into the Department of Veterans Services.
Likewise, 23 boards and commissions would be consolidated into 11 entities. Two state tobacco boards (one for bright flue-cured, one for dark-fired) would merge, as would the seed potato and potato boards.
Other operations would be moved from one state agency to another. The Office of Consumer Affairs, for example, would be housed within the Attorney General's Office under McDonnell's proposal.
Among the boards the governor wants to end is the Virginia Public Broadcasting Board, a 14-member policy body established in the state code.
McDonnell has repeatedly pushed to defund public broadcast and has succeeded in cutting some of its state support from the budget.
Professions to be freed from regulation under his proposal are hair braiders, mold inspectors and remediators, and interior designers.
The list of initiatives is available at www.reform.virginia.gov.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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flippantly b.m. says
"In this tough economy, when families are struggling to make ends meet and business owners are facing declining revenues and tough choices"
Our Governor is a wealthy man, has no idea that's it's the average person, the middle and lower income folks who are struggling the most. The Republicans have sold their soul to Norquist, but B.M. things he and they have the ansewer to all this countries problems. With the Republicans in control the rich will contine to get richer and the poor stand to lose everything they have worked for.
All Hat No Cattle
After all the hoopla about a reform and efficiency commission, what do you get from this Gov?
In a $13 BILLION annual state budget to declare that you have courageously saved $2 million is really ... lame. Do the math. If a 1% savings of the budget works out to $130 million, and .10% is $13 million, the celebration is over .015% of the state budget. That, folks, is almost a rounding error.
Don't get me wrong - these agencies, boards and commissions surely can be combined or eliminated, and $2 mill is $2 mill. But it really ain't a victory of management. In fact, it's more of a surrender with a press spin.
If you look things up, Kaine really did bite the bullet on the big numbers, and almost all of McDonnell's "performance" on the fiscal
Reimbursement
The legislature thought correctly that mold inspection and remediation should require a license. Countless professionals put forth their valuable time and effort to put together a set of workable regulations. July 1, 2011 comes along and professionals in the industry spend more time and money to get licensed and not six months later it going to be abolished Not to sound bitter but with all of the money being saved how about reimbursing those who 1. Lost time putting together training classes for DPOR approval. 2. Lost time spent attending said classes as teaching one does not count for license. 3. The cost of classes for those who had to attend. 4. State fees for the above.
Try as i might I cannot find too much to fault
the governor on for most of these measures.
Along with many other issues, his attempts to kill off state participation in Public Broadcasting is enough for me to never support him.
But that animosity to PBS is not new. The rest of these agencies and boards sounds like a real dog's breakfast and trying to rationalize their operations and/or assessing their value is what he should be doing as the CEO of state government.
Cucci in charge of Consumer Affairs?
The Office of Consumer Affairs would be housed within the Attorney General's Office? Why is this being done? I don't want Cucci in charge of Consumer Affairs. Sounds like the fox will be in charge of the hen house.
Well What Do you Know
If Chris is against it it must be a good thing. It must make sense since this seems to tick off one of the most Liberial people posting here. I vote let's Shut The Office of Consumer Affairs and house it within the Attorney General's Office so it can be closly watched like it should be.
Two Potato Boards? A Seed
Two Potato Boards? A Seed Potato Board and a regular Potato Board. Really? Who knew? In reality, many of these boards were entities put into place by past governors to create political appointments for local cronies who supported them.
Pay Y0ur Bills Governor
"In this tough economy when families are struggling to make ends meet and business owners are feeling declining revenue". This 2 million dollars a year savings will solve all of their problems. How about paying back the 200 million you owe to the Virginia Retirement System? Then Virginia would really be in trouble.
No saving 2 million won't
No saving 2 million won't solve the problems, but the money can be better used elsewhere. Does the state really need a board regulating hair weaving? I don't think so. As far as the good governor is concerned, he claims that the state finished this year with a surplus. Wrong. He and the General Assembly have failed to fund the state retirement system over the past 15 plus years, so now it's about 600 million short. So how then, can the governor claim that there's a surplus?
AND "LIQUOR STORES"
So when is the state going to end the state owned and operated liquor stores? How many states have these? Seems like the old times to me. Paying utilities, leases, salaries, worker's comp., insurance, etc.. Just doesn't make sense. You want to cut government spending? Let Food Lion, Kroger, Harris Teeter, etc. absorb these costs. You still get the taxes without all the overhead. They can judge age just like they do with wine and beer sales. Just don't get the state holding on to this?!?!?!