In more positive news....

Perhaps the federal government needs to take a look at how we do things here in Virginia to learn how to increase transparency for a lower cost... (okay, that's not the only lesson they could learn from Virginia- the #1 best managed state, but that's another post entirely...)

The Heartland Institute reports...

Virginia taxpayers scored a big win in the 2009 General Assembly session ... [with] a bill putting more of the state’s budget and expenditures online in a user-friendly format easily accessible to the general public.

Now that's great news in and of itself. Making it even better? The pricetag.

Early in the legislative session the bill faced serious opposition from all parties when the Department of Planning and Budget hung a $3 million price tag on it. However, Cuccinelli worked closely with Virginia’s auditor of public accounts, Walter Kucharski, to eliminate any financial impact or additional burden on taxpayers.

Government spending transparency? No added costs to taxpayers? Priceless.

And this is health care "reform"???

They "say" that they are trying to "reform" health care and insure more Americans. So why are their billions of dollars being spent on pork projects?

Sweeping healthcare legislation working its way through Congress is more than an effort to provide insurance to millions of Americans without coverage. Tucked within is a provision that could provide billions of dollars for walking paths, streetlights, jungle gyms, and even farmers’ markets.

And while we are fully in support of encouraging individuals to take more responsibility for their own health through healthy lifestyle choices, we think that there are other ways to do this- rather than the federal government spending BILLIONS on new playgrounds and streetlights, as Senator Mike Enzi has been trying to tell Congress.

Enzi has said that instead of paying for pathways, it would be more effective to encourage lower insurance premiums for individuals who can prove they have taken steps to improve their health. He said that construction grants belong in other bills.

Exactly.

But then again, what did we expect when government gets involved? They aren't exactly known for their efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Government Efficiency

"$18M Being Spent to Redesign Recovery.gov Web Site"

Seriously!? $18 million to redesign a website? While we are all for transparency, $18 million seems a bit pricey for a new website. We must be in the wrong line of work...

That's government efficiency for you, folks!

FREE Money... scary

Watch this: A look at health care reform

"Improving Virginia’s Transportation without Raising Taxes: It Can Be Done"

Transportation. An on-going issue in Virginia.

In the latest Bacon's Rebellion, John Palatiello takes a look and makes suggestions for addressing Virginia's transportation needs without raising taxes.

We think that is something that's worth a look!

During the last decade, state government spending in Virginia has grown by about 70 percent, while incomes have increased by only five percent. The rate of growth in the Commonwealth’s government exceeds the growth in population and the
cost of living over the same period.

Why then, does Virginia still have a transportation problem?

The answer is clear. Transportation is not a high priority for many of Virginia’s political leaders. This will certainly be an issue in this year’s elections.

In its editorial endorsing State Senator Creigh Deeds for the Democrat Party’s nomination for Governor, the Washington Post said “Mr. Deeds has made clear that he would make transportation his first priority.” Curiously, however, a look at the candidate’s campaign website fails to reveal a plan, position or even make mention of transportation. The Post editorial cites Deeds’ past support for a gas tax increase and the unconstitutional Kaine transportation plan, and Deeds himself touts his role in passing the Mark Warner tax increase in 2004 (none of which went to transportation).

This begs the question: can Virginia tackle its transportation needs without raising taxes?

The answer is a resounding yes. Here are three ways.

Continue reading online.

News Virginian: "VDOT needs outside look"

It this doesn't paint a picture of government waste, I don't know what does. The Waynesboro News Virginian makes the case for an external audit of VDOT- not as a cure-all - but as an important additional tool to helping control costs and increase efficiency.

Government wastes like a fat man breathes, heavier and more frequently with each step. Few agencies are fatter than state departments of transportation, whose waste may be anything but voluntary. Feeding perpetually on taxpayer money, state DOTs are a traditional repository of raw gluttony, with parasitic legions swarming to nibble and sometimes chomp at bounties of billions of dollars. A query that percolates in the commonwealth: Is VDOT different?

"Shining a Spotlight on Transparency"

Check out the latest on one of our favorite topics: Transparency, from Bacon's Rebellion,

The legitimacy of government is based on the consent of the governed. As owners of our state government, every citizen of Virginia is entitled to full and complete information about how their government acts and what their Representatives do. If we cannot keep ourselves informed on the workings of our government, we cannot retain control over our government.

Read on...

Diligence and Creativity Needed

Virginia's budget gap continues to widen- and while this will present challenges, it should also provide legislators the opportunity to continue to examine commonsense, cost-saving measures to help protect core services while also reducing the overall costs of government.

Maybe it's time to again bring out those Operational Review Reports and continue to look for new ways government can do better for less!