Report on General Government

Little Hoover Commission Reports on General Government

Of the People, By the People: Principles for Cooperative Civil Service Reform (Report #150, January 1999) (PDF format) (MS Word compressed with winzip 6.3)

Budget Reform: Putting Performance First (Report #135, October 1995) WP 6.1

As the State seeks ways to maximize its ability to perform effectively, the Commission examined the pilot project for performance-based budgeting established in several departments within the State of California. The report contains three findings and nine recommendations. The Commission found out that the traditional process for funding, achieving accountability, and setting priorities does not encourage the best policy decisions, increases costs, and decreases program successes. The Commission recommends that the Governor and the Legislature make a commitment to performance-based budgeting by providing support and oversight, extending the time line for the pilot project, and encouraging its expansion as appropriate.

Review of State Fire Marshal/Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Reorganization (Report #134, June 1995) WP 6.1

Although this plan leaves the complexities of merging the two organizations to be finalized at a later date, there is widespread agreement that the consolidation is in the best interest of the State. The Commission recommended that the plan include an explicit commitment to work with all affected parties as the functions and personnel are combined in the future. Because the consolidation holds the promise of enhanced firefighting capability and a strong focus on fire prevention, the Commission believes that the Legislature should allow the plan to take effect.

Too Many Agencies, Too Many Rules: Reforming California's Civil Service (Report #133, April 1995) WP 6.1

In this report, the Commission examines the complex and at times redundant system for managing 185,000 state workers. The Commission's report contains eight findings and recommendations crafted to eliminate redundancies, clarify authorities and deregulate a system that has evolved over nearly a century. Chief among the recommendations is the elimination of the State Personnel Board, with oversight of personnel management and central leadership assigned to the Department of Personnel Administration; the elimination of review by the Office of Administrative Law of rules, regulations and negotiated agreements relating to the internal personnel administration of the State; and allowing the Department of Personnel Administration the flexibility to delegate to individual departments more authority over classification, selection, discipline, compensation and layoff procedures.

State Fiscal Condition (Report #132, March 1995) WP 6.1

This report examines the State's fiscal condition and urges policy makers to make eliminating California's structural deficit and improving the State's credit ratings a top priority. While policy makers in the past have addressed tough budget choices with creativity, they have not been able to break the repeated cycles of short-term borrowing that have driven the State's credit rating down and its overall costs up. The Commission offers four recommendations for future action, which include crafting a budget that is based on reasonable and sustainable estimates of revenues, federal reimbursements and debt obligations; focusing on a realistic cash flow plan; cutting programs as deeply as necessary to end the 1995-96 fiscal year in a balanced position; and adopting long-term plans, budgets and policies that California's budgets will be balanced in reality and not through financial maneuvers.

Review of Governor's Energy Regulation (Report #131, March 1995) WP 6.1

Based on an analysis of information received from 30 witnesses during two days of public hearings, meetings with agency officials and numerous interviews with people in affected industries, the Commission submits its review of Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1995. The plan eliminates the Energy Commission, transfers all existing divisions and functions of the Energy Commission and the Department of Conservation, except recycling, to a newly created Department of Energy and Conservation, moves the recycling program to a modified Integrated Waste Management Board and removes oil oversight functions from the State Lands Commission. The Commission qualified its approval of the energy reorganization by requesting the Administration to consider adding a public member to the new Energy Facilities Siting Board and requiring the adoption of an explicit state energy policy each two years that will be a guide for all policy decisions.

Review of CHP/State Police Reorganization (Report #130, March 1995) WP 6.1

In this review of Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1995, the Commission recommends implementation of a proposal that merges the State Police with the California Highway Patrol. After hearing testimony from state officials and concerned organizations, the Commission believes the reorganization will result in at least two benefits to the State: enhanced security and budgetary savings.

California's $4 Billion Bottom Line: Getting Best Value Out of the Procurement Process (Report #121, March 1993) WP 6.1

California has failed to use its massive purchasing power to get the best value from the $4 billion it spends each year on goods, services and construction projects. The Commission's study examines four areas: major computer purchases, the bid protest process, the Minority Business Enterprise/Women Business Enterprise/Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise program, and the Prison Industry Authority. This report contains seven findings and 26 recommendations regarding best value, streamlined processes, and program accountability.

The Public Employment Relations Board (PERB): Costly, Slow and Unsure (Report #103, April 1990)

The PERB takes too long to issue its decisions and has members that are not qualified by expertise or experience to carry out required duties. In addition, this study notes that the State is providing an unlimited subsidy for school district collective bargaining costs. The report contains three findings and seven recommendations with regard to accelerating the decision-making process and monitoring the Board's effectiveness and productivity.

Boards and Commissions: California's Hidden Government (Report #97, July 1989)

More than 400 boards, commissions, authorities, associations, councils and committees exist in state government. These bodies operate to a large degree autonomously and outside of the normal checks and balances of representative government. The Commission focuses on overall state problems with boards and commissions rather than evaluating the need and/or performance of any single entity. This report contains three findings and five recommendations, including the development of criteria for evaluating the most effective means of problem-solving before a new organization is created; a "sunset clause" in the statutes; and the creation of an information database to track and monitor all such governmental entities.

A Review of the Operation and Performance of the Office of the State Public Defender (Report #90, October 1988)

The cost of indigent appellate defense is rising dramatically. This study notes duplicative administrative and overview costs between the State Public Defender and the court-appointed private counsel system. The Commission makes seven findings and eight recommendations including the merger of the Public Defender's Office, the Appellate Projects and private court-appointed counsel into a single autonomous agency. This will address current problems and ensure continued high quality criminal indigent appellate defense within the State.

A Review of the Organization and Administration of California's Overseas Trade and Investment Offices (Report #83, July 1987)

California's activities regarding world trade, investments and tourism promotion are fragmented and uncoordinated. This study reviews the administration and coordination of these activities. Included in the report's 10 findings and eight recommendations, the Commission proposes: the establishment of a Governor's Office of World Trade to oversee coordination of world trade activities in state government; the creation of a Protocol Division within the Office of World Trade; and the formation of a world trade information clearinghouse.

A Review of Government Competition with Private Enterprise (Report #68, January 1986)

This letter report summarizes the findings of the Little Hoover Commission on the extent of State and local governmental business activities which appear to compete with private enterprise and may not be authorized by constitutional or statutory provisions. The report concludes that there are numerous instances of competitive governmental activities, but no identified cases of unauthorized or illegal activities.

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