Government Reform and Restructuring in Virginia

Submit your recommendations to:  http://www.reform.virginia.gov.

In light of the unprecedented budgetary challenges facing the Commonwealth and the increasing demand for core public services, government must become more effective and efficient. Governor McDonnell’s Government Reform & Restructuring Commission will work to put forth bold and innovative ideas to ensure that duplicative, outdated, unnecessary and ineffective services and service delivery methods are eliminated and that state revenues are dedicated to the core functions of government. We must make government simpler and easier to use, more efficient and more effective. That is the work of this Commission.

Mission of the Commission on Government Reform & Restructuring:

• Identify opportunities for creating efficiencies in state government, including streamlining, consolidating, or eliminating redundant and unnecessary agency services, governing bodies, regulations and programs;
• Explore innovative ways to deliver state services at the lowest cost and best value to Virginia taxpayers;
• Seek out means to more effectively and efficiently perform core state functions, including potential privatization of government operations where appropriate, and restore focus on core mission-oriented service;
• Examine ways for state government to be more transparent, user friendly and accountable to the citizens of the Commonwealth.

How Governor McDonnell Defines a Successful Commission:

The Commission will succeed if recommendations are implemented in the next 3 ½ years through executive, legislative and administration action to:

1.   Reduce the overall scope of government through either the elimination of unnecessary state functions or by privatization;
2.   Cut state government costs;
3.   Make government more transparent, open and accountable to the citizens of Virginia;
4.   Simplify the process for citizens to access government services;
5.   Enhance Virginia’s standing as the “Best Managed State” in the nation;
6.   Ensure more taxpayer dollars are dedicated to effectively functioning core services like public safety, education and transportation and decrease administrative and overhead costs;
7.   Maintain Virginia’s longstanding commitment to the Dillon Rule while reducing unfunded mandates on localities and providing local governments with more flexibility to manage the operational needs in their jurisdictions;
8.   Consolidate and unify the disparate back office functions found throughout state agencies and ensure communication and data sharing among all areas of government;
9.   Improve Virginia’s attractiveness and competitiveness to investors and employers;
10.   Restore the long term fiscal health of the Commonwealth of Virginia; and 
11.   Improve customer service, responsiveness and helpfulness of state government functions.

Committee Structure:

This Commission will continue to make reform recommendations to Virginia’s government until the end of the McDonnell Administration. (As Governor McDonnell says, the end state is “Reform, not a Report.”  The bulk of the Commission’s work during the next three years will be carried out by four committees. The task of the committees is to develop recommendations in their designated area of operations by receiving ideas, examining the viability of those ideas and supporting data and research.  Once satisfied, it will translate those ideas into a formal recommendation to the Commission.

The four committees are as follows:

• Government Simplification & Operations, Chair: Delegate Glenn Oder (94th District, Hampton Roads)
• Intergovernmental Relations, Chair: Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim
• Customer Service, Performance, Accountability & Transparency, Chair: Heather Cox
• Consolidation of Shared Services & Enterprise Architecture, Chair: Ron Tillett

Recommendation Process:

All recommendations proposed by the public to the Commission will undergo a rigorous review and approval process.  The Commission will likely adopt many recommendations, some requiring legislation, others requiring executive action.  All recommendations must be supported by verifiable and accurate statistics and data.

All ideas submitted will be considered and documented.  To the extent possible, the Commission and its committees should use analysis based on outcomes to inform decision making and in structuring recommendations. In considering recommendations, the Commission should identify whether the recommendation is for immediate implementation or whether it has an intermediate or long-term horizon. Recommendations should be narrowly worded and focus on specific, actionable items.  Omnibus recommendations should be distilled into their constituent parts before deliberating or voting.

Recommendations will be prioritized and evaluated according to:

• Speed of Implementation
  • Short Term (less than 6 months)
  • Medium Term  (6 – 12 months)
  • Long Term (12 months – End of McDonnell Administration)
• Cost Savings Potential
• Efficiency Improvement
• Increasing Transparency, Accountability, Customer Service or Performance

For more information on Governor McDonnell’s Government Reform & Restructuring Commission and to follow Town Hall meetings across the Commonwealth, visit http://www.reform.virginia.gov.