Thursday, March 26, 2009

Deval's "Trivial" Pursuit: "Patrick Late In Launching Pension Panel, Fails To Submit Efficiency Report"





Characterizing a publicly funded Cadillac and $175,000 patronage job as "trivial" while also advocating the highest gas tax in the nation shows how out of touch Governor Patrick is with the struggles of working families.
The Massachusetts Republican Party highlights examples of waste, patronage and inefficiency in state government in an ongoing series we call "Deval's 'Trivial' Pursuit."


Patrick Late In Launching Pension Panel, Fails To Submit Efficiency Report
State House News Service, 3/26/09
By Michael Norton and Gintautas Dumcius


The pension reform commission Gov. Deval Patrick touted with fanfare Sunday came six months after a statutory deadline for the panel's establishment.

Despite a recent focus on cutting state spending, budget balancing and reforming inefficient government practices, Patrick, who in January termed this a season of reform, has also failed to produce a legally required report on government-wide efficiency efforts

The state budget Patrick signed in July 2008 required the administration by September 2008 to convene a special commission to examine public employee pension contribution rates, benefits, portability and cost-of-living adjustments. Patrick said Sunday that the panel, which must report its findings and any legislative recommendations by July 1, will hold its first meeting at the end of this month and touted its importance, but administration officials did not mention that the panel was six months late in getting started.

State law also requires the administration to deliver a report to the Legislature every other year on Executive Branch proposals and accomplishments in the area of management efficiencies. That report was due to the Legislature in December 2008, but has not been submitted.

Administration officials in January said they couldn't locate the efficiency report, required under Chapter 7 of the General Laws, and on Monday confirmed that it had not been submitted. "We don't have a physical report," said Cyndi Roy, spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Administration and Finance (A&F).

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