The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-05-16
Letter of Coz. Harness
TO Budget Committee

| he necessary to get rid of this handicap.
| II * a condition that is found in nearly
ali governmental offices. On one hand II
! furnishes fuel for anarchy and on the
other hand an opportunity Tor US TO make
/ recommendations the effect of which will
/ he felt in every home thereby lessening
| the state tax burden 80 per cent, or by
doubling the advantages that come from
| the expenditure of our state tax money.
Will Require Much Time. - g.
1--WE must recognize that change in
an organization as complicated as one
| that deals with our states business can
only be accomplished by the selection of
a general plan that would require from
! four to eight years to carry into effect.
/ In this period of transition there would
| be a gradual Improvement of conditions
/ for both the state and the individual
workers in state work.
sThe budget committee including as it
does the board of control supplemented
/ by representatives of the house and
senate. constitutes in many ways the best
! existing medium for service of this kind.
! 1t contains men of long years experience
in the work, and it has another quality
! that is highly essential; namely. it Is in
degree a continuing body. as a part of its
personnel will usually lap over several
! administrations. Furthermore, its rec
| concentrations will be freer from the
! handicap of factional partisanships.
with only 30 per cent efficiency and
/ an annual expense of S5,000,OO0 We
should not hesitate to make any recon-
mendations that may be necessary to pre-
vent a continuation of this loss. The
legislature determines the amount of ap-
preparation for each of the various OBJ
iects. but, unfortunately, it has not thus
far been able to put in force the best
management of these expenditures.
/ eft Shpuld he orr nUFnOSp to recon-
mend a scheme of reorganization that
can be carried out with the minimum
disturbance and yet bring fairly prompt
results.
Need Continuing Personnel.
1T is not difficult for US to accept a
general proposition of a business man
agement of our affairs, but when we dis
cover that it entails a continuing per
sonnet of chiefs of divisions and general
staff, we object strenuously and say that
it is not in keeping with our plan OF
government Notwithstanding this atti-
tude. believe we can find scheme that
will fit our governmental notions and at
, the same time one that will give us 4
continuing personnel 1t does not neces-
sarily carry with it longer service of q
governor but it does embrace a contin-
= | uing force of a business executive and his
chiefs of departments. 1t would make il
possible for all to hold their positions on
| a basis of value of their service to the
state rather than political affiliations
In a certain degree we have a continuing
= personnel at the present time, but 1t Is
far from sufficient 10 bring up our eff
| cient use of funds We must choose be
tween the old way, that spends S5,O000OC
for S2,500,00O worth of work, and .
modern way that will get the same work
, for half the money.
This is a very simple proposition, i
does not involve great technical details
1t deals only with plain facts 1t Is oul
duty as citizens as well as members O
this committee to go into this problem
| free from all entanglements, handiCapS
r. and presidents that relate to an old eco
e monte world that has passed out of exist
/ ence. ...... ..
$ BY making our standard of measur
f real service to Vermont homes and bet
f | ter opportunities, rather than consider
/ ing the political significance of this o
g shat policy of management, we vii
; greatly enhance the welfare of eur PEG
n pie and state. .....- .a.....
t In taking up this problem it is well
h too, for us to realize that our ineficienc.
r II management Is not due to failure o
our predecessors in office, nor is it du
# to lack of vision of our founders. TIL
J., present ineficiency has been caused b.
n our inability to adapt our ideals to tn
o rapid development of the science of man
| '
r. ing many elements in our scheme of man
agement that are definite misfits. Gu
- terms of political offices are necesSaril
~ short. | would not suggest n change i
4 the period of service for governor. bu
y | | do suggest that we turn over to q bus
- ness executive the business of the state
:, ! This business executive should be al
i, pointed for a period of not less than 81
- years.
" We could afford to pay a Hove
- four times the presidential salary an
IL still save an enormous sum each yea
t We would organize the business of tn
! state on business principles, and woul
I do it in the shortest possible period. bU
- it would take from four to six years fC
the personnel and the machinery of til
new organization to become fully COO
dinated, even under his guidance.
But it will not be necessary for I
to pay the salary of 100000 year t
accomplish this purpose 1t can be a
complished by changing our STANDARD
to fitness for service and make the pa.
ment of salaries for our chiefs one ths
will attract the ablest men for each p
sition. The next suggestion would
y. to get rid of the fiat rate for all OthC
& staff members The fat rate for Off
workers kills initiative.
Should Select from Whole Country.
we should select the best man f
each position and should be permitted
search the whole country as well as OF
own state to find him, Politically tn
is grave proposition, but we shou
not reserve these offices for few me
with political aspirations at the expen
of the one thousand times greater nun
Der Of people who pay the high taxt
and suffer from inefficient management
IF we confine our investigation to d
Is tails we will not achieve great success
q We must look for the big elements an
cut off the confusion of discussing detail