The test was for “effective government management.” The results? A solid “C-” and a tie for last place–with Alabama.
That sobering evaluation came from the Government Performance Project, a non-partisan group which grades how well state government handles “money”, “people”, “infrastructure” and “information”.
While many Californians hold that the Golden State, with its size and potency, is an exception to almost every rule, the Government Performance Project asserts this exceptionalism is a lame excuse for sloppy work. The opening line of their evaluation is sure to evoke dreaded memories for anyone who ever came close to flunking an important class:
“People who work in California government love to talk about how their state dwarfs entire countries in both population and economy. Well, everybody needs something to be proud of. They certainly can’t talk about how the state dwarfs anyone in the quality of its management.”
This week, we explain what’s wrong in California and look at effective government management in high-scoring states like Utah, Georgia, Louisiana and Delaware.
- The Grade for California, Government Performance Project
- Governing the Golden State: A Critical Path to Improve Performance and Restore Trust, Little Hoover Commission (.PDF)
- California’s Information Technology Projects, California Legislative Analyst’s Office
- California Personnel Management, California Performance Review (.PDF)
- Infrastructure: Enabling California to Perform, California Performance Review