“Now is the time for us all to work together — hardworking state employees, Democrats and Republicans, all levels of government and all Washingtonians — to help find the right solutions. We are up to this challenge. And if we show innovation, wisdom and courage, we will emerge stronger for it.” (link)
-Governor Christine Gregoire
By outward appearances, it looks like only 2 budget ideas have been submitted to DNR management. If you’ve been following this blog though, you know additional ideas have been proposed. Of the 4 cost-saving recommendations you’ll find mentioned in The Chrome Documents, only 1 received any action. If a 1 in 4 response is any indicator, management does not seem to be taking these ideas seriously. There are many recommendations, so it’s unclear why InsideDNR only lists 2.
An email went out today from Heath Packard, the DNR’s Legislative Liaison, in which he stresses the importance of the DNR speaking with one voice. He lists the 6 managers (or positions) who embody the “one voice” of the agency.
Management has reacted like a thorazine patient to this financial crisis. The result of their decisions is an increase in the number of unemployed citizens in our state. The budget situation for the DNR might end up looking better [temporarily] but the impact the cuts have on our state will impact the entire economy. The DNR will also no longer have a workforce strong enough to take on any projects of significance. Senior employees will bump junior ones and eventually, when the smoke clears from all the firing, there will be additional cost to rehire.
Mr. Packard can claim there’s “one voice” for the agency but the ideas of those in charge are the only ones being spoken. It’s moments like this when descent becomes necessary. There’s no evidence of management carrying employee ideas to elected officials. I don’t believe employee interests will reach the right audience left in the hands of the commissioner, legislative liaison, policy director, agency supervisor, deputy supervisors, and budget director.
Management has yet to make a visible effort to reduce bureaucracy or take any tangible action to increase government transparency and sustainability. If this is not the case, show the results publicly on the DNR’s website.
Peter Goldmark was part of the Sustainable Washington Advisory Panel, started in September 2002 by Governor Gary Locke because of the widening gap between the state’s reality and a Washington that is equitable, healthy, and prospering. The SWAP’s mission: “to achieve a fully sustainable Washington within one generation.” Here’s a link to the Action Plan For A Sustainable Washington submitted in February 2003. Another great idea without enough action!
Sustainability means leaving the economy, the environment, and our communities in as good or better shape than we found them.
Governor Gary Locke, September 18, 2002.
The budget shortfall didn’t come about slowly. It wasn’t a surprise that crept out of the shadows and spread like wildfire so quickly there wasn’t time to react. It came about because managers failed to act in the first place. The need for change has been here for as long as Washington State has been engaged in unsustainable business practices. Too many managers believed they needed to spend their entire budget or lose it. It’s this kind of thinking, especially at management level, keeping sustainability at bay.
Alabama has an example of how effective government transparency can be. This is exactly the type of project our agencies should be engaged in, especially while a workforce still exists to achieve anything of lasting impact for our state.
It’s not possible to stress this enough. Instead of engaging in short-term fixes which benefit a single agency’s budget woes, focus must be on improving Washington’s entire economy. This can only be achieved by having the right kind of goals in place and the staff to reach those goals.
