NEWS ADVISORY

April 27, 2004

JLARC report urges legislators to prioritize

OLYMPIA – The legislature's audit committee, known as the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC), released a preliminary report last week urging legislators to take the lead in setting the state's governing priorities.

JLARC's report, titled "Governing for Results in Washington," is an overview of Governor Locke's Priorities of Government (POG) budget model, and discusses how legislators can ensure the state is achieving its goals.

Echoing concerns the Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) has expressed over the past year, JLARC emphasized the need for legislators to be actively involved in setting the state's budget priorities so the governor's efforts don't "supplant" their responsibility:

In order to be successful, government reform must include the executive branch, which defines strategies and approaches, and the legislative branch, which determines spending priorities. The Governor's "Priorities of Government" could be a stronger tool with the input and support of the Legislature. Indeed, the Governor's efforts must not supplant the Legislature's responsibility to set state government priorities.

JLARC made four recommendations for legislators to consider:

1. Set statewide priorities and targets by publishing an annual "state-of-the-state" report.

2. Focus on outcomes by routinely requesting and using "performance information in policy and budget decisions."

3. Take a more active and direct role in agency activities and decisions.

4. Base legislative committee decisions on performance outcomes by structuring committees around the state's governing priorities.

"Legislators should implement JLARC's recommendations next session," said Jason Mercier, EFF's budget analyst. "Creating a transparent and accountable budget depends on setting clear priorities and having the will to hold agencies accountable to them."

Contact: Jason Mercier | Budget Research Analyst | 360.956.3482

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