In an attempt to show California voters he’s committed to cutting government waste, Governor Jerry Brown announced this week a plan to eliminate more than 700 bureaucratic reports.

 

Brown did not say how much money would be saved by cutting the reports. A spokesperson insisted a “significant savings in terms of employee productivity and printing and distribution costs” would be realized.

 

The Los Angeles Times found that many of the reports—more than half—are not produced regularly. And some of the reports on Brown’s list of proposed cuts are no longer printed at all.

 

However, it is difficult not to be sympathetic with Brown’s attempts to eliminate certain reports. Here is a sampling of ten of the ones facing the axe:

 

·         A report from the government of Australia to DFG [Department of Fish and Game] regarding their kangaroo harvest which is then transmitted to the legislature.

·         The diaprepes root weevil eradication effort, including an accounting of how the monies to eradicate the root weevil were expended and what, if any, additional outbreaks were detected

·         Audit plan for audit of school attendance records

·         Report regarding existing leased space in the City and County of San Francisco that shall include the projected need for future space in the San Francisco area; DGS' practices in regards to reviewing potential consolidation of space requests from multiple departments; the DGS review of alternative locations for space requests in the City or County of San Francisco; and an accounting of identified program needs, as specified

·         Report on the allocation made by the board of the one-time augmentation of $5 million for tire remediation and enforcement

·         Hydrogen Highway - Update of the report identified in subsection (f) of Section 7 of Chapter 91 of the Statutes of 2005 regarding the status of transportation-related hydrogen activities in other states

·         Report on feasibility of assessing a surcharge on state departments that allocate overhead costs currently incurred by the Department of General Services, some of which are recovered through building rental rates, to all state entities receiving a benefit from these costs

·         Effect of the Ten Dollar ($10.00) Payment - Declaration of Paternity Form.

·         Report naming fairs that are delegated approval authority for such matters as the Department of Food and Agriculture may determine

·         Duplication of effort - Report detailing overlap and duplication of current monitoring and water quality planning activities

-David Wallechinsky, Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Gov. Jerry Brown Wants To Cut 718 Unnecessary, Defunct Reports (Los Angeles Times)

Legislative Reports Proposed For Elimination or Amendment Subject to Legislative Approval (Governor Jerry Brown) (pdf)