Bipartisan legislation signed by President Obama last Tuesday will significantly change the way the government monitors and reports on its own performance. One of the most important reforms contained in the new law is a requirement that targeted tax breaks — or “tax expenditures” — finally be analyzed based on their success in contributing towardRead… Read more »
Our current budget process already makes it way too easy for lawmakers to overspend via the tax code. Unlike discretionary spending, most tax code spending programs (or “tax expenditures”) are permanent, unlimited in size, immune from the appropriations process, and ignored during the government’s own performance reviews. Rep. Boehner’s (R-OH) proposal to replace PAYGO withRead… Read more »
I personally was shocked at today’s USA Today article on double-dipping by state employees: http://bit.ly/6TiQel. But beyond highlighting the basic sleaziness of the practice, the article missed the many negative impacts to the long-term success of government. In short, governments shoot themselves in the foot when such practices are tolerated. The first casualty is reputation.Read… Read more »