“It was time to take a chainsaw” to fat in state government,” State Auditor Shad White said in announcing his $2 million study of government spending by Boston Consulting Group.
Last week the public got a glimpse of the chainsaw. White released his “Project Momentum” report which identified $229 to $338 million in potential fiscal savings. The report proclaimed itself a roadmap to improve efficiency “by eliminating unneeded services, expanding the capabilities of state employees, and capitalizing on our state’s progress by providing clear value to taxpayers.” The “our state” clearly identifies the text as White’s, not the consultant’s, and the “clear value” isn’t abundantly clear. Still, the report is full of useful information on 13 state agencies (many were excluded) with 31 initiatives for reducing recurring expenses. Interestingly, IHL was excluded, though White’s “chainsaw” announcement highlighted potential savings there. No mention of “gender and zombies” classes or DEI programs. Neither does the report mention White’s concern about millions spent “imprisoning illegal immigrants.” Instead, the prison section focuses on potential savings by “investing in data-driven prevention efforts to reduce the number of re-offenders.” Among the report’s more useful parts are those on how other states operate more efficiently. For example, as much as 50% of the projected savings could come from improved procurement practices. Modeled after other states’ practices, the recommendations cover multiple agencies with case studies on information technology, engineering services, public relations, emergency contracts, travel, and more. Indeed, the report should be hand delivered to the legislature’s PEER Committee. Compare the section on procurement to the PEER January 2023 Report #672 on centralizing procurement and you will understand.
White’s report unabashedly points to weaknesses in state systems. For example, the report says procurement requirements waste “taxpayer funds without providing the state with additional quality or service,” and major problems at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality include staff shortages and turnover due to low salaries. His report also calls for investments to improve operations, technology, and more. In a few cases the report estimates those investment costs, but not for most. A $2 million cost study should not be lacking specific front-end cost data to implement its recommendations. (Possibly the data given the Auditor includes that but his 59-page report does not.) “I believe that Project Momentum is the most important project we will do in my time as State Auditor,” reiterated White, “because, if we take a chainsaw to all this fat, it will make government leaner and smarter for decades to come.” Oh well, it does provide useful examples of precision surgery that could cut many recurring costs. “Careful words make for a careful life” – Proverbs 13:3. Crawford is the author of A Republican’s Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives.
25 comments:
Turn Shad loose! Everybody needs a haircut occasionally.
As Federal & State funding requires more & more technical reports the recipients turn to contracts with private firms thus eliminating public employee hiring & performance.
Bill is just mad that he didn’t come up with these ideas himself.
90% of state employee jobs can be eliminated and outsourced for pennies on the dollar. There is nothing they are doing that is a matter of national security. Fire all of those lazy and surly state workers, outsource their work to the Philippines, convert their PERS into a 401K, and cut my taxes by 60% at least!
Shad spends $2 million and could have saved taxpaper money by letting state bean counters complete the same study while on the clock. Granted, it would have cut into their time on youtube, netflix and Facebook, but they could have done it at no additional cost to the taxpayer.
The size of government in Mississippi is obscene. It betrays the state’s Democrat\Dixiecrat roots. The difference these days is they don’t say the quiet parts out loud anymore and it’s not nearly as “white’s only” as in previous generations. There is nothing “conservative” about Mississippi State Government except the rhetoric they repeat.
Compare the general fund of 2024 to that of 2004. Our state GOP is far from being run by “small government conservatives”.
I don't understand why Shad needs someone from Boston to come down here (assuming they actually did) to "try" to identify opportunities to make Mississippi state government more efficient? I thought that was what we elected him to do for us (with that Harvard education).
Why errybody always gettin paid but me?
@9:34 - So you want to eliminate 90% of teachers and UMMC medical staff. Got it. Glad you're not in charge.
@10:09 AM Exactly what would you cut, and by how much in each agency?
Computer expenditures are the LEAST of MS government waste....sheesh. You don't need an multimillion dollars to determine that. Shad's not much of an auditor. He paid for that "study" with the taxpayers' money AND will have the balls to also say, "It's them not me. Look at the study". Shad's a worm trying to crawl along the edge of a straight razor. Go be a minister or something.
The easiest way to downsize government and really save money in the state is to reduce the size of the legislature by half in both the house and the senate, cut the number of counties to no more than 50 with an almost equal number of school districts. We could go with 4 IHLs and 8 to 10 community colleges.
The state bean counters under Shad were too busy promoting Shad’s libelous propaganda book and defending him in a lawsuit where he has been sued in his personal capacity. I don’t think they had time to do the actual work they are paid to do.
Bill is just jealous
Shad, you little hypocrite.... State Agencies can competitively bid out audits to be done by reputable firms. However, you choose to do them "in house" for more than three times the cost with untrained auditors. The audited agencies lose many working hours by having to explain how the programs operate to your untrained staff. But you want to "cut waste". What a fraud! You want your little empire.
And a little FYI, so many are new because there has been a mass exodus of qualified people from the Auditor's office. Maybe we need a study on that. ;)
2 mil for a study on how we can save money?! Biggest waste of money ever! Never seen anything like this. We all know where the fat is. Shad does too.
Did Shadrack hire one of his friends to do the study? Only money to be saved is $1 million in selling the state plane. How much will commercial flight costs offset this savings?
This sounds a lot like a campaign platform for the governor's office, or maybe Lt. Gov.
Either way, is this really the auditor's job?
Welcome to the Reach Around Club! Admission costs a lot, but you can spend Other People's Money just like your own!
We want a radical cut for state government? Why does a state of 3 million people need 82 counties and county seats. Consolidate them.
Crawford is nothing more than a proxy messenger attacker doing the bidding of Democrat Delbert Hosemann.
That’s right! They have every right to blow tax payer money and not be bothered by some state auditor trying to do his job
Crawford isn’t a conservative! He’s a RINO!!!! Just like Hosemann
I agree. At least democrats are upfront on how they stand. Both men are RINO
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