We believe that, if explained in detail, the proposal stands on its own merits and the hysterical protests of the bill's opponents will be found lacking and not in the interests of the state's employees. The state civil service employee remains trapped in an antiquated, clumsy system that promotes inefficiency, and inhibits outstanding performance and commitment. As a result, according to the Florida State University's annual public policy survey, more than 60 percent of the public does not trust state government to what is right most of the time. Not only is the current career-service system ineffective, the system is increasingly driving down the number of college graduates interested in government service. The interest in government service careers by college graduates at top U. S. public-policy schools has been dropping at an alarming rate since 1974.
Reform is needed to attract our brightest lights to public service.
Florida must thoroughly modernize its employment practices, and where appropriate, implement private-sector management techniques. Florida must move from an exaggerated policy of protecting career-service employees to a policy of both enabling and rewarding performance. This provision effects approximately 120,000 career-service employees and insures them, legally, of a property right to guaranteed employment. This statute dramatically inhibits the ability of managers to manage, endlessly complicates the movement of human resources and diminishes the stature of state employees. Once young, bright, ambitious employees figure out this bizarre system, the motivation to continue in public sector career is irredeemably diminished.