Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Morgan Brown, a writer, blogger and activist as well as a person with disabilities living in Montpelier.
The Vermont Legislature should consider adopting the following seven recommendations when it considers addressing the current shortfall in terms of crafting the fiscal year 2012 budget:
1. Tap up to half of the rainy day reserve funds, not counting the Agency of Human Services caseload reserve fund as is already proposed to be used;
Instead of starting at the bottom of the bureaucratic food chain, the Shumlin administration should start with cuts and efficiencies at the top.
2. Create a tax scheme along the lines of what former Gov. Dick Snelling and the state legislature had wisely enacted back in the early 1990’s. This could be used to both help raise a portion of the current shortfall as well as ensuring to have a certain amount of those tax receipts be dedicated to help build back up the tapped rainy day reserve funds;
3. While still needing to find and make cuts to the Fiscal Year 2012 budget to cover the shortfall, this time around make sure to cut the fat where the fat truly exists: i.e., at the top and mid-level regions of the higher-paid and positioned bureaucracy across state government, starting within the administration itself and ensuring that the rank-and-file state workforce that delivers direct services to the citizens of the state are held harmless: e.g., during these tight budget times, the state cannot afford nor does it need all the deputy commissioners at the department level across state government, including in the Department of Mental Health;
4. In addition, put or keep in place a permanent cap on all salary increases, bonuses, merit increases or whatever they might be termed these days for those working in top or middle management positions across state government, including and starting with the administration. This policy should be kept in place until the economy fully recovers and, also not be ceased until all human services program cuts are then fully restored to what they were prior to the series of cuts that have been made within previous years as well as any forthcoming cuts;
5. As was done previously, cut salaries of higher level state employees receiving $60,000 or more. However this time do so by 10 percent, beginning with members of the administration, including the governor. It is certain there are others who are as well-qualified and also willing to serve within those positions who could step in to take over for anyone not be willing or able to take such cuts and who choose leave their positions as a result;
6. Put an end to providing meal allowances and other such stipends for any and all state employees, including the governor or members of the state legislature, etc.;
7. Severely restrict out-of-state travel allowances for state employees across state government, including members of the administration and the state legislature and recommend use of teleconferencing or use of other electronic means rather than attending meetings in person. In addition, also severely restrict allowances covering conference fees and the like for all state employees, including within the administration and state legislature, whether it be for instate or out-of-state conferences or other such meetings.
Instead of starting at the bottom of the bureaucratic food chain, the Shumlin administration should start with cuts and efficiencies at the top.
