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Reynolds brings greater accountability and oversight to government
John Hendrickson
Oct. 8, 2023 5:00 am
President Ronald Reagan famously placed a portrait of President Calvin Coolidge in the Cabinet Room of the White House. President Reagan admired Coolidge for his fiscal conservatism. Coolidge not only believed in lower taxes, but he regarded “a good budget as among the most noblest monuments of virtue.” For Coolidge, fiscal conservatism or “economy in government” was a moral issue.
Gov. Kim Reynolds reflects the values of Coolidge not only in her pro-growth tax reform, but also in conservative budgeting. This past session the legislature passed a historic state government reorganization law, which begins to reduce the size and scope of government. One outcome of this new law is the recommendation to consolidate or eliminate over 100 boards and commissions.
Fiscal conservatism is more than just tax cuts, but it is also limiting government. Gov. Reynolds is reigning in Iowa’s administrative state and establishing more accountability and oversight over Iowa’s unelected fourth branch of government.
In her Condition of the State address, Reynolds articulated her plan to ensure state government is a good “steward of Iowans’ tax dollars.” Further, it is her goal to make state government more efficient. Prior to the legislature passing the governor’s state government reorganization measure it had been 40 years since the last time a major reform initiative had been passed. Over that time period Iowa’s government increased. As an example, Iowa had 37 executive branch cabinet agencies — more than all neighboring states, including our larger neighbors Minnesota and Illinois. As a result of the state government reform law, Iowa now has 16 cabinet agencies.
Further, Iowa not only has too much government, but also duplicates many services and agencies. This includes numerous boards and commissions. This creates overlap in many areas. Kraig Paulsen, who serves as the director of the Department of Management and serves as the chair of the Boards and Commissions Review Committee, noted that 256 state boards and commissions were reviewed and 111 are being recommended for elimination or consolidation. If the legislature agrees with the Committee this would mean a 43 percent reduction in Iowa’s boards and commissions.
The committee also correctly identified that an “effective mechanism” is needed to review boards and commissions on a regular basis. The natural tendency for government is to grow unless it is properly checked. The Committee also recommends not only an “ongoing review process for all boards and commissions,” but also recommending sunrise and sunset provisions, which would provide additional legislative oversight.
The legislature will have the opportunity to review and decide whether or not to act upon the recommendations of the Committee, but creating more oversight, accountability, and efficiency in Iowa’s bureaucracy is a needed reform.
Critics are arguing that the process may endanger public safety or result in the loss of local control. As an example, one recommendation is to eliminate the Elevator Safety Board, which began operations in 2005. If this board were eliminated, would it result in less safer elevators? If so, the question must be asked who regulated elevators prior to the establishment of the Board? Other special interests who are impacted by the eliminations or consolidations are also expressing concern over the Committee’s recommendations.
The Elevator Safety Board is just one example, but eliminating or consolidating boards and commissions does not necessarily mean that the regulations or inspections associated with those areas are being eliminated. In this case the functions of the board will be transferred to the Department of Inspections and Appeals.
Just as the tendency is for government to grow it is also expected the bureaucracy and those special interests closely aligned will fight to make sure that their respective board or commission will not be eliminated.
Reynolds is leading a noble effort to reform state government and make it more accountable and efficient for the taxpayer. Whether it is pro-growth tax policy or conservative budgeting that is resulting in budget surpluses and a strong fiscal foundation. Reynolds is governing in the spirit of Calvin Coolidge; she is a true fiscal conservative.
John Hendrickson serves as policy director of Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation
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