Contact: Jason Mercier, Budget Research Analyst
(360) 956-3482

Where's the accountability?

By Jason Mercier
The words "government" and "accountability" are seldom synonymous in the minds of taxpayers these days—and for good reason. Every day we are painfully reminded of the disconnect between common sense and state government.

Consider just a few examples:

• Felons are receiving welfare checks while DSHS sits by the phone waiting to see if the police will notice, instead of turning the fugitives in.

• Billing fraud and witness tampering at the University of Washington earned one doctor a multi-million dollar severance package.

• A DSHS department is planning a $100,000 staff retreat to a ski lodge for its employees, complete with a world-class comedian for entertainment.

• The Department of Labor and Industries is openly sending workers' comp benefits to illegal aliens in violation of state and federal law.

• Professors at Evergreen State College can take up to 210 paid sick days each year.

Examples like these prompt taxpayers to demand accountability, as they should. But while many state officials are beginning to hear those demands, they don't seem to know what true accountability means.

We're happy to help define it.

True accountability means being responsible for your actions. In state government, this also means being responsible for the programs under your control. For individuals who violate the law or commit fraud, it means tangible consequences exist and are enforced. It means state programs and budgets have clear goals and measurable outcomes. And it means allowing comprehensive and independent performance audits based on those goals.

A good audit doesn't just follow a money trail and make a de facto report, it evaluates the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of a program so service can be improved. And it triggers immediate consequences for any wrongdoing or mismanagement uncovered.

But accountability isn't all about negative reinforcement. It also acknowledges and rewards good performance. It recognizes and promotes effective governing even as it exposes and resolves ineffective governing.

Taxpayers are not opposed to taxes. We all understand that we have to pay for the services we want. But we are opposed to excessive taxes and we have every right to expect that the folks we hire to manage our money and services will do their job well.

It is now apparent to everyone, even state officials, that too many in government are not doing their jobs well. The resounding failure of Referendum 51 was a loud reminder that Washington citizens no longer trust state government.

Fortunately for elected officials, it's possible for them to regain the trust of voters if they take serious and meaningful action to restore accountability and transparency.

We don't need more bean-counting or reports, we need state officials who are willing to identify clear goals, encourage comprehensive performance audits, and take action to ensure those goals are being met and waste, fraud and mismanagement are being eliminated.

By way of encouragement to state officials, the Evergreen Freedom Foundation has launched a new Waste Watchers website. The site chronicles a long list of waste and mismanagement in state government and offers "hot diet tips" and action items for concerned citizens.

Each story on the site will be updated as EFF gets information about its status, and citizens are encouraged to "get active" on unresolved items by calling their representatives or the officials directly involved. Information about who to contact will be posted.

Once state officials realize that wrongdoing, poor performance, and consequences go together, we may be able to use the words "accountable" and "government" in the same breath. Until then, the state's actions (or lack of action) speak louder than any self-proclaimed assurances of accountability.

Jason Mercier is a budget research analyst for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a non-profit public policy research organization based in Olympia.

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org