From The Sacramento Bee:
State workers call it “use it or lose it,” a practice in which departments try to spend every last penny rather than save for the good of the overall California budget.
It is a “perverse” dynamic of government spending, the state’s Little Hoover Commission observed more than a decade ago. Department directors fear that Capitol budget writers see leftover funds as proof that too much money was authorized in the first place, possibly resulting in future cuts.
To avoid that outcome, departments spend on anything from extra paper clips to new computers before the fiscal year ends each June.
“It’s clearly part of the culture and part of the tension that exists between the Department of Finance and agencies,” said James P. Mayer, who serves as executive director of California Forward and previously examined the issue with the Little Hoover Commission.
worse than that they actually shoot for over budget so to ask for more for the next year….but no worries the tax payers haven’t caught on yet
I dunno Jimmie. When the Governor, state legislators, and bureaucrats all tell me I must be taxed to subsistance levels so the burden of accountability is off the states back, my compassion and willingness seems strangely absent.
Or should say that the tax payers who do know are out numbered by the non tax payer who have people willing to vote for them.
‘Use it or lose it’ budget practice common in California government http://t.co/YSdvvaC6
This is not a new game by government. It was that way in California when I worked for cities and counties in the 70-90s, and it was that way when I was working in Washington in the 60s. It’s just that the budgets have swollen and the times are much leaner to finally get somebody to notice the overspending. Good article!
The same can be said of the Federal Government. If the total amount of money funded for the current fiscal year is not spent, it (the agency) will receive reduced funding in future appropriations. One of the problems that I have seen as an individual involved in property management of Federal facilities is higher ranking military personnel are in charge, and their next fitrep (promotion) in connected to the next higher level of management’s fitrep (promotion) and goes up the chain of command until it turns into “politics” at a congressional level. Once it reaches a certain level, (usually Captain) accountability only occurs in publicized “disaster situations” (think ship collisions!! How in the hell could that have happened) We don’t have accountability for our tax dollars, and in the military, the number one priority has NEVER been money, but MISSION. With this mindset, the military should not be put in charge of many aspects that could be headed by someone who will be held accountable for our tax dollars. Until that happens, we will continue to have massive expenditures of tax dollars needlessly.
Yes, it is just shocking how Marshall, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Nimitz, etc., ignored budgetary priorities and instead tried to successfully complete The Mission.
We’ll never let that happen again (which is probably why we haven’t had too many clear-cut victories since 1945), because of the attitude and belief emphasized by Don, and thousands like him within the bureaucracy).
Keep up the good work.
Looks like a new truism shall become,” JUSTIFY FOR CONSENT using it, or lose it”. Tax money just isnt in the coffers for anything that cant be justified. Nor is tax revenues likely to miraculously appear to take the heat off.