Center for Government Reform
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Launched in 2007, the Center for Government Reform’s mission is to partner with stakeholders and citizens to work toward a government focused on its core functions while improving its transparency, accountability, performance, and effectiveness for taxpayers. The Center's objectives include using the power and principles of the free market to change and improve the culture of government, focus government spending and programs on its core functions, adopt structural budget reforms, ensure taxpayers dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, adopt government transparency reforms and ensure government remains open and accountable to the citizens it serves. |
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Government Reform Publications | Government Reform Blog
Budget website shines light on state spending
June 24 2009
Have you ever wondered how much the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) spends on travel? Or how much the Liquor Board spends on salaries and wages? Thanks to the actions of state officials last year the answers to these types of questions are simply a mouse click away. By visiting fiscal.wa.gov, the state’s new budget transparency website, within minutes I had the answers to both these questions. For example, through March L&I had spent more than $9 million on travel and the Liquor Board paid out $80 million in salaries and wages during the 2007-09 biennium. Unanimously adopted by legislators and signed into law last year, the bill authorizing fiscal.wa.gov tasked the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program (LEAP) Committee with its creation and operation. Providing taxpayers with this accountability tool was a top priority of Washington Policy Center and other government transparency advocates. In December LEAP launched the website ahead of schedule with the assistance of the Office of Financial Management (OFM) at a cost of $300,000...
Emergency Clause Usage Ticks Up
May 20, 2009
To provide a check on the legislature, the state constitution grants the people the power to veto unwanted legislation through the use of a referendum. According to the Secretary of State, “The referendum allows citizens, through the petition process, to refer acts of the legislature to the ballot before they become law.” This power applies to any bill adopted by the legislature except those that include an “emergency clause.” The purpose of the emergency clause is to allow state government to respond quickly to true public emergencies, like a large-scale natural disaster or wide-spread epidemic disease. Yet over the years lawmakers have routinely abused the exemption by attaching emergency clauses to 813 bills since 1997, including 68 bills during the 2009 legislative session...
Watch Jason Mercier on KING 5's Up Front discussing the state budget (begins at 15:45)
With the threat of a special session now over, the next major policy development will be when the Governor takes action on the 2009-11 budget proposal. It is certain that some vetoes will be forthcoming. The State Auditor hopes that his performance audit funding will be restored while the state Lands Commissioner wants his executive plane saved from the chopping block. What proposed spending from the budget might warrant a line-item veto? Details here: 2009-11 budget priorities
Overview of House and Senate Democrats' 2009-11 Budget Proposals
April 8, 2009
Each person’s analysis of the 2009-11 state budget offered by House and Senate Democrats will be influenced by his budget principles. Washington Policy Center’s budget principles are: 1. Budgets should fund only core functions of government, 2. be truly balanced long term, and 3. not result in a projected deficit in the next budget – i.e., the level of state spending should be sustainable within existing revenue. Unfortunately the proposed budgets fail to satisfy each of these principles though they do take a small step towards correcting past unsustainable spending…
Economists Warn Tax Increases Will Hurt Our State's Economy
April 6, 2009
31 economists have signed an open letter to state elected officials warning that tax increases will damage Washington’s economy and hamper economic recovery. This comes as lawmakers are grappling with a large budget shortfall and are considering tax and fee increases rather than prioritizing spending, which families all across Washington are doing now. Today the letter ran in a full-page advertisement in The Olympian newspaper. The mix of local and national economists offers a vital perspective to this issue, since Washington is not alone in facing budget troubles and our state is part of an interconnected economy...
Do you know what your legislator is doing?
March 15, 2009
This op-ed appeared in The Olympian and The Wenatchee World on March 16, as well as The Herald (Everett) and The News Tribune (Tacoma) on March 17.
As lawmakers pass the half-way point of the 2009 Session and begin passing important legislation, do you really know what they are doing on your behalf? Sure you can watch the floor debates and public portions of legislative hearings. You may even be able to read the text of an amended bill before it is voted on, if you pay close attention. But is this level of transparency sufficient to hold our elected officials accountable or should we have the same access to the activities of state legislators as we do local elected officials in our state?...
Olympian joins the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in endorsing WPC's recommendation for searchable tax website
An October 2, 2008 editorial from the Olympian endorses WPC's recommendation for the state to create a searchable tax website where Washington residents can easily search to see all the taxes they are subject to and their total tax burden. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer endorsed the idea on August 18, 2008.
Learn more about WPC's recommendation for a tax transparency website here
Top Story
Web voters support 72 hour budget timeout
Requiring a 72 hour budget timeout received the most votes by advocates of open government taking advantage of President Obama's interactive website focused on improving federal government transparency. According to Roll Call: “House Minority Leader John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) idea for a 72-hour public review period of major spending bills received nearly 1,000 votes on a White House Web site dedicated to opening the process of government to the general public. Just three hours before the poll closed, Boehner’s proposal had attracted 967 votes of support, more than any other idea . . . In his post on the Web site, Boehner said his 72-hour review proposal which "would help to prevent taxpayer-funded outrages such as the empty ‘Airport for No One’ in the congressional district of Democratic Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) and huge bonuses for [American International Group Inc.] executives, is a reform proposal that been advocated by nonpartisan organizations such as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a coalition of reform-minded state legislators, and the pro-transparency Sunlight Foundation.” ... Read the rest online here
Of course lawmakers should know what the votes are about, Longview Daily News
Review, Then Vote, Columbian
Baird's 72-hours quest gets GOP supporter, Columbian
State Budget & Tax
Who will drive the economic recovery?, Bellingham Herald
State workers' insurer needs cash to reach reserve, Olympian
Do you wonder if your lawmaker donates to parks?, Olympian
Washington State Saves $34.1 million with Bond Refinancing, State Treasurer
U.S. eyes state’s health oversight, Olympian
Permits on the way for sellers, Olympian
Basic health to cost more, Olympian
State workers shun furloughs, Olympian
Fewer than 55 percent of students graduate within 6 years, TVW
Summary of 2009 Tax Legislation Now Available, Department of Revenue
Has the 'freeze' on Washington out-of-state travel thawed out?, News Tribune
Will more Washington roads take their toll on drivers?, Seattle PI
Nursing facilities might seek ‘fee’ to reverse funding cuts, Olympian
Budget director OK's $7,100 for state travel to Paris Air Show, News Tribune
State capital (capitol) graffito: A sign of the times, News Tribune
Veto of transit tax option upsets sponsor and transit supporters, News Tribune
Lawmakers get budget cutbacks, Olympian
Plan to transfer, deport jailed illegal immigrants a much-needed financial move, Longview Daily News
Wasteful state boards, commissions survive despite bad economy, Seattle PI
Legislators wasted opportunity for real change, Olympian
At Chamber meeting, legislators warn state budget woes far from over, Longview Daily News
All Tax Revenues Go Down in Bad Times, Kitsap Sun
Big government reform still in works, Olympian
Lawmakers say Eyman's I-960 had little effect on actions, Olympian
State seeks to recoup losses, Olympian
Local Budget & Tax
Tent City is more accountable than City Hall, Seattle PI
King County government bloated, needs cuts, Susan Hutchison says, Seattle Times
Local arts groups hope for stimulus boost, Seattle PI
In Seattle the Tax Man never stops coming, Seattle PI
Lower property values mean a tax cut? No sure thing, Everett Herald
King County employees should pay part of health tab, Seattle Times
Mallahan: Abolish Mayor Nickels' head tax, Seattle PI
Car Tab Increase Back on Bremerton Council's Agenda, Kitsap Sun
Salary study: Tacoma stands by pay hikes, News Tribune
Jarrett: Gold-plated health plan for co. workers has to go, Seattle PI
Bloated King Co. bureaucracy has to go, critics say, Seattle PI
Rising salaries plus cap on tax increases troubles governments, Columbian
Snohomish County hotel and motel owners ask for new tax, Everett Herald
National Budget & Tax
33,000 New Jobs Could be Added at No Cost to Taxpayers, WPC
Federal stimulus dollars, state deficits -- and federalism, Stateline.org
Dems brace for CBO score, The Hill
Management nominee backs performance, accountability measures, Govexec.com
Chamber defends free market system, Politico
States' Budget Woes Are Poised to Worsen, Wall Street Journal
Tracking jobs created under Recovery Act could be tricky, Govexec.com
The Moment for Public-Private Partnerships Is Now, Huffingtonpost.com
Millionaires Go Missing, Wall Street Journal
77% See Politicians Unwillingness to Cut Government Spending as Bigger Problem Than Voter Resistance to Tax Hikes, Rasmussen
Open Government
Supreme Court orders Federal Way investigative report released, WPC Blog
Document fees should cover costs, not salaries, Spokesman Review
FWay court probe should be public, News Tribune
Police records may be sealed, Spokesman Review
Mesa's legal troubles make national news, Tri-City Herald
Open-meetings trial could be costly, judge warns, Yakima Herald
Government Accountability
State Auditor launches new website, WPC Blog
DSHS hit with 7 audit findings, WPC Blog
Does the Governor's climate change EO have power of law?, WPC Blog
Audit finds troubles at state DSHS, Columbian
DSHS -- it's time to break it up, Yakima Herald
Did the governor overreach to boost climate policy?, Olympian
Audits/Court Rulings
Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (6/12/09): Preparing for JLARC’s 2011 & 2016 Performance Audits of the Puget Sound Partnership
Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (6/12/09): Medicaid Prescription Drug Purchasing: Preferred Drug List
State Auditor’s Office (6/1/09): Department of Social and Health Services (7 findings)
The Center for Government Reform
Launched in 2007, The Center for Government Reform mission is to partner with stakeholders and citizens to work toward a government focused on its core functions while improving its transparency, accountability, performance, and effectiveness for taxpayers. The Center's objectives include using the power and principles of the free market to change and improve the culture of government, focus government spending and programs on its core functions, adopting structural budget reforms, ensuring taxpayers dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, adopting government transparency reforms and ensuring government remains open and accountable to the citizens it serves.
Director Jason Mercier
Jason Mercier is the Director of the Center for Government Reform. He serves on the Executive Committee of the American Legislative Exchange Council's Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force and is a contributing editor of the Heartland Institute's Budget & Tax News. Jason is also a columnist for Seattle PostGlobe.org and serves as Treasurer on the board of the Washington Coalition for Open Government and was an advisor to the 2002 Washington State Tax Structure Committee. He received a B.A. in Political Science from Washington State University.
Contact Information
For questions or for more information from the Center for Government Reform please e-mail jmercier@washingtonpolicy.org.
Past events:
On April 15, tax day, state and national policy experts gathered in Seattle for WPC's Government Reform conference. Two interactive panels discussed budget and tax policy reform issues, as well as budget accountability, performance, and the role of government. |
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The conference was very well attended including individuals from at least 26 states. It drew a wide variety of attendees including state legislators, agency and legislative staff, business owners, citizens and media. Former U.S. Comptroller David Walker (pictured right) delivered the lunch keynote address to a packed room. He highlighted the looming fiscal crisis caused by government overspending and entitlement programs and record-low levels of savings amongst citizens. |
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Panel 1: Budget and tax reform - TVW
- Donna Arduin - Former budget director for Florida Governor Jeb Bush and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - Topic: Rich states, poor states
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- Chris Atkins - Senior Fiscal Policy Adviser, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels - Topic: Property tax reform
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- Jonathan Williams - Director of the Tax & Fiscal Policy Task Force for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) - Topic: Budget and tax transparency
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Panel 2: Budget accountability/performance and the role of government
- Hon. Brian Sonntag - Washington State Auditor - Topic: Performance audits
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- Larisa Benson - Director of Washington State Government Management Accountability and Performance (GMAP) - Topic: Performance management
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- Sheila Weinberg - Founder & CEO of Institute for Truth in Accounting - Topic: Requiring accurate budget information
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Keynote Lunch Address - TVW
Additional media coverage of the conference is available here.
