1. Fox/Hounds OpEd
November 9, 2011
Participation, Performance and Accountability:
A Reasonable Approach to Governing California
By Michael Turnipseed
As the state continues to struggle with chronic budget shortfalls and a sluggish economy,
Californians are overwhelmed by a plethora of political solutions. These “solutions” do little to
either restore faith in government or that can -- or will -- address the issues at hand; namely,
greater accountability at all levels of government and improved outcomes of critical public
programs that most directly impact performance, prosperity and productivity.
By now most Californians – politicians, business leaders and the public alike – have
acknowledged the dysfunction that rules the state, a dysfunction directly related to the lack of
accountability that stems from California’s state-down form of government. That CAN and must
be fixed.
Like a business organization that must evolve and change with the marketplace, democratic
government needs to be rethought and retooled to accommodate major shiftsin population, the
economy and technology if it is to be meaningful to and trusted by its citizenry. This is perhaps
our greatest challenge: structuringstate government so Californians know whom to hold
accountable for the success or failure of public programs and poor budgeting.
Because accountability has been lacking,California’s fragmented system of government hasn’t
worked for at least a generation.The state has experienced serious declines in education, access
to healthcare, economic growth,jobs and public safety. Essential services are delivered by local
governments – counties, cities, school districts and special districts–but the state sets the rules
for how local funds are used and implemented. This institutional bifurcation results in public
perception of poor or no leadership and accountability to no one. It’s a formula for failure.
As communities and regions throughout the state grow larger and more diverse, priorities shift
and it no longer makes sense for a handful of lawmakers in Sacramento to unilaterally decide
what’s best for the state. Results are frustrating. Trust in government continues to erode.The
cost of government increases, while revenue and services decline, and we are forced to choose
between the very elements that made California a good place to live or go elsewhere to make a
good living.
The Government Performance and Accountability Act (GPAA)seeks to make government at all
levels more accountable by encouraging local governments and agencies to work togetherand
find meaningful, fiscally responsible solutions to social problems. It doesn’t raise taxes; it
doesn’t tell the state how to run its schools, prisons and social programs; nor does it create
more red tape or a bigger bureaucracy.
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2. What is does do isprovide a frameworkthat brings government closer to the people and thus
accountable to the people. It gives local government more responsibility and authority both for
public planning and budgeting at the level where social and economic programs have the most
immediate and dramatic impact, and leadership can be held directly responsible for its policies
and performance.Just as critical, The GPAA provides specific safeguards and controls to assure
local and legislative responsibility, feasibility and accountability. In other words, performance
that’s stable, dependable and reliable.
By keeping government at all levels accountable, we can begin to turn around the dysfunction
and inefficiencies that have come to be equated with our failing government system.
Michael Turnipseed is executive director of the Kern County Taxpayers Association and a CA Fwd
Forward Thinker.
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