The purpose of this post is mainly to annoy the progressive types here in Athens. That is because whatever problems are identified in local government, consisting of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County and the Clarke County School District (and they are legion), the locals will inevitably trace them back to a paucity of funds from, or attacks on local control by, the evil Republicans who control state government - as opposed to the wanton spending and conspicuous over-regulation that occurs at the local level. From the 10 March edition of the Office of the Governor’s Week in Review:
Georgia Receives Highest Grade in the Southeast; Grade Rises to B+
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Pew Center on the States and Governing Magazine Monday ranked Georgia among the best managed states in the nation in the Grading the States 2008 report. Georgia’s overall grade of B+ is the highest awarded to any state in the Southeast. Governor Sonny Perdue traveled to Washington D.C. today to speak at the luncheon where the results were announced and to share some insights into how he has transformed Georgia’s state government.
“We have made sensible, strategic reforms in Georgia to make government more efficient and more responsive to the needs of our citizens,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “As a result, Georgians are getting better value for their tax dollars and better service from their government, and we will continue to work to surpass every other state and become the best managed state in the nation.”
Only three states received a higher grade than Georgia's B+, and four other states received the same grade as Georgia. The national average among the 50 states was an overall grade of B-. Thirteen states earned grades above the national average and 19 states were below the national average.
Georgia’s overall grade was determined by averaging the state’s score in each of four categories: “Money” B+, “People” A-, “Infrastructure” B, and “Information” B+. Georgia’s previous overall grade was a B in 2005, the most recent year the study was conducted. This year’s study is the fourth in the series.
The 2008 report emphasized the value and impact of improvements made by the Governor’s Commission for a New Georgia, an initiative Governor Perdue launched shortly after being sworn-in as Governor in 2003. The commission is made up of private sector business and community leaders who offer a fresh perspective on how to make government more efficient and effective.
See the Pew Center on the States, Governing, and the Commission for a New Georgia.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Georgia Among Best Managed States
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
In my job, I frequently interact with both the local government and state government bureaucracy. I am apparently a bit unusual among Republicans in that I've developed a hearty distaste for "local control".
We have far too much government, and the most inefficient, costly, high handed bureaucrats I interact with are the locals. They frequently have rules that are logically inconsistent, fail to understand their own rules, and violate the rules sometimes out of ignorance and sometimes out of spite.
When I deal with the state the process is usually slow and not very customer friendly... but if I locate the correct form, and if I fill the form out correctly, then I get what I want without the BS I deal with at the local level.
I would agree with the above that we have too much government... 159 counties, really do we need that much, but I digress.
But the comments that GA being one of the best run states is a dig at ACC commissioners?? come on good governance doesn't happen overnight. it is not the consequence of a Republican governor or state house. It is the result of both parties years of hard work, not to mention good old bureaucrats. At I am suspect of any list that says Louisiana is at a B when we are at B+... that just makes me start to doubt the whole grading system.
I am also highly skeptical of the grading system.
As Clark mentions above with 159 counties and 435 or so cities, I just don't see how Georgia can be considered among the best run.
I give Richardson much credit for choosing to focus attention on all of this government bureaucracy, even if his GREAT plan wasn't so great.
Post a Comment