Eric Herr: NH efficiency commission should address structure, process, focus

To The Daily Sun,

Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s Commission on Government Efficiency will identify significant, specific efficiencies that will benefit the people.

Yet, the old adage applies, “Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.” The commission should ask, “What changes would make efficiency improvement routine for New Hampshire state government?” rather than the work of periodically convened Commissions.

Three topics for investigation and improvement should be priorities: structure, process and focus. To illustrate:

Structure: The governor has over 70 direct reports she supervises. With all her responsibilities, properly managing 70+ people is impossible. I once met with the commissioners of the state’s five largest departments and asked to whom they reported. They admitted, “no one.” An effective management structure would surely require fewer direct reports.

Process: Roughly 1000 pieces of legislation are proposed each legislative session. Add regulations proposed by the executive branch, and the resulting complexity overwhelms efficiency and makes citizen and business interaction with state government complex, opaque and costly. What process changes would simplify that complexity, fueling efficiency and transparency gains?

Focus: The essential ingredient in governing is legislation. Legislation provides resources and authorizes state government programs, services and activities that define what the executive branch does. As Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, I attended a senior Red Cross-FEMA meeting on response coordination. A senior FEMA executive turned to me and said, “We’re going to build three temporary cities.” I asked, “Why?” He responded, “Because that’s what we do.” That’s what legislation provides. He didn’t say, “That’s what they need,” or, “That’s what they want.” Wrong answer.

The Executive Council approves all state contracts over $10,000. That process adds another layer of financial control. But with piles of contracts addressed by the Executive Council and a 1,000 pieces of new legislation introduced each session has New Hampshire state government lost sight of the forest for the trees? What critical objectives are served by all those contracts, regulations, and pieces of legislation? Is management of state government so focused on the trees that it retreats to “Because that’s what we do,” rather than understanding and delivering to the people’s objectives. The forest for state government? Laws, contracts and regulations are the trees. What are the vital objectives that would provide focus for legislative choices and executive branch operations and management? Without a clear understanding of those objectives, efficiency is only a number.

Specific efficiency gains proposed by the Commission will be step in the right direction, but only one step. I hope the Commission will also focus on providing a framework that continuously drives efficiency. This is not a call to dramatically, instantly retool the state government. But Gov. Ayotte’s Commission on Government Efficiency will identify significant, specific efficiencies that will benefit the people.

Let’s move intentionally to take controlled first steps toward structural and process improvement and crystallize New Hampshire state government's focus, to continuously drive effectiveness and efficiency in true service of the people of the Granite State.

Eric Herr

Hill