1. Eliminate all positions in state government
that remain unfilled for a period of six months with a corresponding
reduction in agency budgets by the amount of that full time equivalency
(FTE). There are approximately 3,000 positions currently unfilled.
2. The 2003-2005 biennial budget should delineate between capital
costs, operational costs and personnel costs. Currently, they are
all mushed together, which creates less accountability and more cost.
3. Eliminate all automatic inflation adjustments in supplies and services
line items.
4. Governor should secure immediate resignation of all PERS Board
of Directors as they have been judged to be irresponsible by the court.
Quickly nominate replacements.
5. Reform PERS by adjusting to appropriate and contemporary actuarial
tables. Dates of adjustment would be effective January 1, 2003 with
yearly adjustments thereafter (minimum savings over time of $400 million).
6. Reform PERS by creating a defined contribution retirement plan
that would be effective July 1, 2003 and that would have a contribution
of 6% of salary from the employee and 6% of salary from the public
employer (savings in billions to taxpayers).
7. Insist on increasing the span of control of middle management to
1 manager per 12 employees.
8. Review and eliminate all new programs that have been created over
the last two years. Avoid any funding of a new program unless it is
funded at the beginning of the biennium, thus avoiding extreme "roll
up" costs.
9. Budget an ending balance (stabilization fund) of at least 2% of
a biennium's General Fund budget income total.
10. Constrain Oregon State government’s budgets to no more than
5% growth per biennium.
11. Legislatively introduce a zero-based budgeting system, thus allowing
legislative committees to review and analyze the prior biennium’s
budget numbers without decision package enhancements and then add
or subtract monies in the next biennium’s projections, based
upon need, accountability and availability of state resources (thus
eliminating the "continuing service budget" approach).
12. Legislate that state regulatory standards will not exceed federal
standards.
13. Legislate that agency fees and licenses be constrained to actual
cost of services.
14. Reduce state employee count by 5% per year for the next biennium
via attrition.
15. Create separate salary and benefit system for managers in public
sector from rank and file to avoid conflicts of interest in bargaining.
16. Reduce all out-of-state travel by 20%.
17. Competitively bid a variety of services now being performed by
government employees.
18. Encourage the Oregon State Lottery to compete with games that
are available at Native American casinos. State revenues would be
enhanced by $40 to $70 million per year.
19. Eliminate Education Service Districts with the exception
of rural areas. Pass some of those dollars to school district superintendents
of public instruction.
20. Contract out the state motor pool, including maintenance and repair,
which will save 10-15% and secure immediate cash by selling the current
fleet, which has a value of about $20 million.
21. Contract out management of prisons. Oregon ranks #3 nationwide
in cost per prisoner at $45,000 per year.
22. Privatize management of the Oregon Youth Authority. Per inmate
costs per year are now about $100,000.
23. Privatize the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC).
24. Eliminate Bureau of Labor & Industries and place necessary
duties in Department of Consumer & Business Services.
25. Privatize the Driver and Motor Vehicle Division (Department of
Transportation).
26. Abolish the Criminal Justice Commission, which saves $19.2 million
and use some of these savings to avoid cuts in state police personnel.
27. Avoid passing a mental health parity mandate, which would increase
escalating health care costs.
28. Ensure strict adherence to the Oregon Health Plan’s prioritized
list. Do not pay for health services or medications for conditions
below the line.
29. Ensure strict adherence to the Oregon Health Plan’s eligibility
standards. Individuals who do not meet the eligibility standards would
not receive reimbursable care. (Estimated impact: $200 million less
cost of Oregon Health Plan).
30. Reform health care policies to make medical savings accounts easily
available to all Oregonians.
31. Avoid any attempt to force public contracting law on private contractors.
32. Eliminate the so-called Little Davis Bacon Act, which imposes
approximately 20% extra cost on all public projects (five new schools
for the current price of four).
33. Repeal the political contribution tax credit.
34. Increase use of prisoners for maintenance and repair of state
parks and other public projects.
35. Expand urban growth boundaries to accommodate increasing housing
availability and providing industrial land locations.
36. Sell the Elliott State Forest, gaining at least $500 million,
which could be used for a school stabilization fund.
37. Introduce tolls on bridges that need to be repaired in order to
carry appropriate commercial weight.
38. Promote Oregon’s image of quality products, emphasizing
that purchases by Oregon’s public sector will consider criteria
such as revenue impact and Oregon jobs impact instead of just the
lowest bidder.
39. Dedicate up to 1% of PERS investments to a venture capital fund
to grow or start Oregon businesses.
40. Eliminate mandatory student fees for political groups at colleges
and universities, thus allowing choice by the student. This will reduce
tuition costs.
41. Promote rather than discourage destination resorts, i.e.
Cascade Locks Casino or Pelican Butte Ski Arena.
42. Redirect the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department
to emphasize economic development versus community development.
43. Surcharge driver’s license renewals for state police.
44. Place significant surcharge on vehicles registered in Oregon whose
owners have inadequate proof of residency.
45. Eliminate the Winter Recreational Advisory Committee.
46. Eliminate the Advisory Committee on Bicycles.
47. Eliminate the State Board on Speed Control.
48. Eliminate the Commission for Women.
49. Eliminate the Hispanic Legislative Roundtable.
50. Eliminate the Body Piercing Licensing Program.
51. Eliminate the Commission on Black Affairs.
52. Eliminate the Ginseng Advisory Committee.
53. Eliminate the Office of Degree Authorization.
54. Eliminate the Covered Bridge Advisory Committee.
Read more!