Budget/Bureaucracy

We need to take a fresh look at how the state delivers services. I support calls by Comptroller Peter Franchot to do a full top-to-bottom review of State spending and the structure of programs for delivering services. This would include a look at the state’s relationship with the private sector, including looking at best practices for state agencies, incentives for business development, and potential partnerships to leverage private enterprise resources for the benefit of all citizens.

We need make sure what our state offers is useful to fill the needs of the 21st Century. There is no reason to let inertia keep us locked in a 20th Century mind-set. We should get rid of redundancies, while making sure what we offer is useful the current needs of Maryland residents.

We need to incentivize government efficiency. We should be open to new ideas to find ways to reward workers and departments that find ways to save money. Under the present system departments are rewarded for wasting money. We need to get away from the budgeting philosophy of “use it or lose it” and get to a philosophy of “save the taxpayer money and get rewarded.” Let’s take a fresh look at how we handle things.

If a constituent of mine is having problems getting answers from government bureaucrats, they need to know that I will be willing to use whatever resources I can muster, in and out of government, to get action and get answers for citizens.