Coffee Outlines State Government Reform Priorities

Office of Accountability, Information Office, Tag Agent reform, Agency consolidation and performance audits top list

President Pro-Tempore Glenn Coffee announced Tuesday that government reform will be a top priority in the upcoming legislation session.

Coffee’s legislative priorities include creating the Office of Accountability, Innovation and Privatization, instituting a government Chief Information Office, tag agency reform, and agency consolidation.

The Office of Accountability and Innovation will conduct regular performance audits of agencies, recommend best practices to improve efficiencies in government, review the effectiveness of tax incentives, and bring new innovations to government to make it more effective for taxpayers.

“It’s unfortunate the Governor vetoed this very worthy reform last year,” Coffee said. “This is an idea whose time has come. We will work with the governor to craft a bill that addresses his concerns while serving the needs of the taxpayers in overseeing government spending and make our government more efficient.”

Further, the President Pro Tem will offer legislation which will take out the long-standing tradition of patronage in the appointment of tag agents statewide.

“Traditionally, local state Senators directed the Oklahoma Tax Commission when filling these positions,” said Coffee. “We removed that patronage from the appointment of tag agents in Oklahoma City and Tulsa several years ago and placed it solely with the OTC, which has greatly improved the system. It is our intent to bring this level of professionalism to the appointment and management of tag agencies.”

One of the most significant reforms being proposed by Coffee is to develop a state government-wide Chief Information Officer, to bring consistency and efficiency to the technology needs of state agencies. Each agency currently manages its own information systems, resulting in redundancy and inconsistencies across state government.

“Consolidating all technology and computer responsibilities into one office will bring Oklahoma into the 21st Century, and save taxpayers millions of dollars,” Coffee said. “This will provide for ease in communicating data and information throughout agencies, and better serve all Oklahomans.”

Further, the Senate will explore selected agency consolidations, targeting duplicative services and streamlined operations, and will seek more management oversight and overhaul of the Chief Medical Examiner’s office.

Coffee is optimistic about advancing the above reforms through the legislative process. “As a whole, these reforms will prove to make Oklahoma’s state government more effective and efficient, while saving taxpayers’ money,” said Coffee.

CREATION OF NEW STATE AGENCY A MISTAKE

Hat Tip to Steve @ FAIR AND BIASED

Weekly Opinion/Editorial
CREATION OF NEW STATE AGENCY
A MISTAKE
By Steve Fair

Before the Oklahoma legislature adjorned last week, they passed Senate Bill #1865 which would create a state Office of Accountability and Innovation within the Legislative Service Bureau. It is intended to make government more efficient by creating an agency to conduct regular performance audits of state agencies. The Senate author is co-Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R, Oklahoma City. The House author is Speaker of the House Chris Benge, R, Tulsa.

After the Senate passed the measure 32 to 15 last week Coffee said “Republicans are strongly committed to making government more accountable, more effective and more innovative,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

“The Office of Accountability and Innovation will give the Legislature the tools to help state government better serve the people of Oklahoma. One can look at success of the recent performance audit of the Department of Corrections as an example of the honest assessments and innovative recommendations we expect to receive from the legislative Office of Accountability and Innovation.”

According to Coffee, the new agency will conduct regular performance audits of agencies, recommend best procedures to improve government efficiency, review tax policy and suggest new ways to make government more accountable and effective.

The legislation creates a Joint Committee on Accountability and Innovation that will consist of five House members and five Senate members. The committee will appoint a director of the office of accountability to serve a four-year term.

The bill is on the way to the governor's desk where Governor Henry is expected to sign it. While accountability is a good thing, creating another state agency is not.

If the description of the duties and responsibilitites for this new agency seem familiar, it’s because they are very similar to the job description for the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector.

In Article VI, Section 19 of the Oklahoma Constitution the Auditor and Inspector is charged with examining the state and all county treasurers’ books, accounts and cash on hand or in bank at least twice each year. The Auditor and Inspector is to provide checks and balances within the Executive Department of Oklahoma State government.

The State Auditor and Inspector has access to all books, accounts, reports, vouchers and other records of information in any department, institution or agency. Pursuant to various statutes the State Auditor and Inspector establishes accounting procedures, and forms, and provides assistance to counties and other forms of local government. The State Auditor and Inspector also performs special investigative audits upon request by certain state officials and upon petition by citizens.

Why do we need an additional oversight agency controlled by ten state legislators when we already have an elective office created by the Oklahoma Constitution charged with doing much of what the new agency will be doing? I fail to see how creating a new agency will make Oklahoma government more efficient.

Proponents of the new agency point out the new agency will do performance audits. What are performance audits? A performance audit refers to an examination of a program, function, managment of or the procedures of a state agency. Most “performance audits” are carried out by exernal auditors, but in most states they are done by elected officials like the State Auditor. Performance audits are objective and systematic, generally using structured and professionally adopted crititerium. But in reality, the State Auditor’s office has the constitutional authority to do “performance audits” now.

The creation of this new agency is partially in reaction to current State Auditor Jeff McMahon being indicted in January on conspiracy, fraud and racketeering charges. It’s clear by the bi-partisan vote on SB 1865 the legislature doesn’t have any confidence in the State Auditor’s office to do performance audits.

Another factor is that Republicans want an agency to conduct ongoing studies on improving Oklahoma’s taxation system. By doing so, perhaps we could make the state more attractive to business looking to expand or relocate. But creating a state agency because an elected official fails to do their job is not a good reason to create another layer of bureaucracy.

Growing government is not an innovation.

That’s the problem with government- it’s too big now.

We didn’t need another state agency to watch the other state agency who is watching the other state agencies.

Senate Passes Legislation to Create Office of Accountability and Innovation

The Oklahoma Senate adopted a key piece of the Senate Republicans’ agenda to make state government more accountable and innovative.

SB 1865 by Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee creates the Office of Accountability and Innovation within the Legislative Service Bureau. The bill was adopted by 41 to 6 vote.

The Office of Accountability and Innovation would conduct regular performance audits of agencies, recommend best practices to improve efficiencies in government, review the effectiveness of tax incentives, and bring new innovations to government to make it more effective for taxpayers.

“Senate Republicans are strongly committed to making government more accountable, more effective and more efficient for taxpayers," stated Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. "It is encouraging to see the bipartisan support in the Senate for this proposal to improve state government.”