The Romney budget makes several important assumptions.
Article 87 Executive Branch reorganization
In tandem with this budget recommendation, the Romney administration will file an Article 87 reorganization timed to coincide with the beginning of Fiscal Year 2004. Article 87 is a provision of the state constitution that enables the Governor to make changes in the Executive Branch subject to a single up or down vote of the Legislature.
State agencies often provide similar or related services without ever communicating with one another. This “silo” structure has resulted in duplication of services, poor coordination and unnecessary overhead costs. The Article 87 reorganization will propose a sweeping overhaul with streamlined secretariats, fewer departments, and increased policy coordination.
Consolidation of shared functions within Governor’s Office
Legal functions will be consolidated within a new Office of Solicitor General under the Governor’s Office. The Governor’s Executive Office budget also reflects consolidation of public relations and legislative personnel. Specifically:
- Over 800 salaried and contract lawyers throughout the Executive Branch will be reduced and organized under the Office of Solicitor General, which will report to the Governor’s Legal Counsel. This consolidation will save $5 million.
- Executive Branch public relations personnel are cut 50 percent, saving $1.2 million. Secretariats will have dedicated press liaisons coordinated through the Governor’s communications office.
Information Technology
A new Chief Information Officer located within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance will oversee all information technology strategy for the Executive Branch. Planned actions include consolidation of data collection and improved network security to meet homeland security requirements. Centralized infrastructure improves resource sharing, reduces duplication and incompatibility, and will save millions of dollars.
Human Resources
Responsibility and budget for all human resource professionals in Executive Branch agencies are consolidated at the secretariat level under a single director of human resources. Better coordination of human resource policy, increased flexibility and accountability and less duplication of effort will result in long-term savings.
Reformatted cabinet
Executive Branch management is organized under six secretariats and 13 members of the Governor’s cabinet:
- Executive Office for Administration & Finance
[Eric Kriss]
- Executive Office for Commonwealth Development [Doug Foy]
- Secretary of Transportation [Dan Grabauskas]
- Secretary of Environment [Ellen Roy Herzfelder]
- Secretary of Housing & Community
Development [Jane Gumble]
- Executive
Office for Economic Affairs [Robert Pozen]
- Secretary of Labor [Jane Edmonds]
- Secretary of Business & Technology [Barbara Berke]
- Secretary of Consumer & Commercial Services [Beth Lindstrom]
- Executive
Office for Education [Peter Nessen]
- Executive Office for Health & Human Services [Ronald Preston]
- Secretary of Elder & Veteran Affairs [Jennifer
Carey]
- Executive Office
for Public Safety & Homeland Security [Edward Flynn]
Commonwealth Development
A new Executive Office for Commonwealth Development unifies key policy initiatives in transportation, environmental affairs and housing.
Within transportation, a fragmented management structure will be replaced by divisions for roadways, mass transit and airports all reporting to the Secretary. Environmental affairs will be organized into divisions for environmental protection, conservation and recreation, agricultural resources, and fish, wildlife and environmental law enforcement. Eliminating the Metropolitan District Commission and the Department of Environmental Management and consolidating their core functions within the new Division of Conservation and Recreation will save $11.5 million.
Economic Affairs
A new Executive Office for Economic Affairs will spur economic recovery in Massachusetts, attracting jobs and investment by combining various fragmented efforts into a regional approach.
Health & Human Services
Health and Human Services (HHS) represents almost 48 percent of state spending. Sixteen agencies serve many of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens. The lack of a unified mission has led to uncoordinated services and a fragmented system for those in need.
The Romney budget anticipates a major restructuring of HHS including a new regional service delivery system. The restructured secretariat will implement a strong coherent vision for serving the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens.
Key functions from all HHS agencies will be consolidated in the Executive Office. These include information technology, human resources, legal services, budgeting, contracting, federal revenue and revenue maximization projects. The Executive Office will also include a health and human services financing section designed to maximize federal reimbursement of state expenditures.
The Uncompensated Care Pool
The Romney administration recognizes and is committed to addressing the pressures that the current operation of the Uncompensated Care Pool places upon hospitals and community health centers that care for our uninsured citizens. Over the next two months, the Executive Office for Health and Human Services will work with the Legislature toward a consensus approach to relieving financial pressure on the Pool and improving its management. This reform will meet applicable federal requirements, draw upon additional federal dollars, and conform to the Commonwealth's budgetary constraints.
Education
A new Secretariat of Education will oversee all educational programs in four divisions: elementary and secondary education, higher education, quality and accountability and Arts and Humanities.
Higher education will be regionalized and administered by coordinating councils comprised of educators and local employers.
The chair of each regional coordinating council will sit on a newly configured Board of Higher Education along with eight other gubernatorial appointees.
All state and community college campuses and three of the University of Massachusetts campuses will be consolidated within the regional system. The University of Massachusetts at Amherst will operate as a Commonwealth-wide institution outside the regional design. Campuses will retain 100 percent of tuition and fees, enabling state resources to be focused on need-based aid.
Three campuses – University of Massachusetts Medical School, Massachusetts College of Art and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy – will become state-assisted institutions with continuing need-based aid for Massachusetts residents.
This restructuring will save a total of $150 million in 2004. Consolidation and reorganization under the regional structure will save $100 million. Another $50 million will be saved by restructuring tuition, fees and financial aid.
Consolidated campuses: +
Transition
sponsorship to non-state funded: *
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Streamlined agency organization
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Comparison to existing executive branch organization
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Other reorganization
Judiciary
The Romney budget saves $85 million by cutting duplication, waste and patronage from the courts while improving the delivery of core services:
- More than 160 individual line items have been consolidated into 17
- Boston Municipal Court is merged into the state District Court
- Eight underutilized courthouses are closed and consolidated into adjacent districts
- All civil legal services to the poor are consolidated under the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation.
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
The Romney budget consolidates management of the Massachusetts Turnpike with the Massachusetts Highway Department to eliminate duplication of effort and overhead. For Fiscal Year 2004, the Turnpike Authority Board will be reconstituted and consist of the Secretaries of Administration and Finance, Commonwealth Development and Transportation. The Commonwealth will assume responsibility for collection of toll revenues and repayment of outstanding Turnpike debt. Operations and maintenance will be consolidated with the Highway department, resulting in annual savings of more than $30 million. These moves represent an interim step toward the ultimate goal of merging the Turnpike and Highway Department.
Registry of Deeds
In addition to fee increases, the Romney budget consolidates management of semi-independent registries of deeds under the Secretary of State. Separate line items accounts are consolidated under one master account for all registries.
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