Which branch of government should have more power?

By Vincent Sheheen

For more than a decade, our great State has engaged in a repetitive
argument over which branch of government should have more power, the
legislative branch or the executive branch? This contentious argument
about the balance of power misses the point and too often degenerates
into fruitless bickering. The real point is that neither branch
effectively fulfills its role in controlling and overseeing government
operations and programs. We are trying to run a modern, sovereign
government with essentially the same antiquated tools used for over a
hundred years.
Our State*s government operation is like a multi-headed hydra;
each head having a mind of its own, with little cooperation, and no
central guiding spirit. Our agencies often pursue their own agendas,
operating in separate chimney*s with little independent, organized
oversight and no outside, regular evaluation of operations, programs, or
policies.
It is time to fundamentally change and modernize our
government*s form, structure, and mode of operation to create
accountability within both the executive and legislative branches.
During the next session of the General Assembly, I will propose the
Government Accountability Act of 2008. If enacted, this legislation
will transform the General Assembly*s operations, by requiring real
oversight of government agencies. It will streamline our executive
branch and increase accountability in government operations.
First, the Bill requires the legislature to fulfill its duties
as an independent and effective branch of government with an obligation
to continually evaluate and examine the operations of state programs and
agencies. As currently structured, our legislature simply passes laws
and fails to perform almost any regular oversight of the effectiveness
of state government or programs. My proposal provides a framework for
the legislature to fulfill these responsibilities.
The Bill will force our General Assembly to move into the modern
age by conducting regular oversight hearings on the operations of state
government through adaptation of its current committee structure. Each
committee will be required to systematically examine the operations of
state government that fall within its jurisdictional boundaries,
evaluating the real need for existing programs and determining what the
future requires. Only then will the General Assembly truly be able to
make informed decisions about the needs of our State.
Additionally, the Government Accountability Act will require the
General Assembly to change our current budget practices. Right now, our
annual appropriations bill is little more than an accounting document,
listing out agencies and amounts of money allocated to them. Under my
proposal, the legislature will have to utilize a Programatic Budget,
requiring that each program have objective performance criteria for
legislators to consider as we decide how much money is deserved for a
specific program.

The Bill will create a more efficient and functional executive
branch by reducing the number of statewide elected officials,
consolidating offices, and devolving more power to the governor*s
office. Importantly, the proposal will shift all truly administrative
functions away from the Budget and Control Board and vest them in the
governor. By making more agencies directly answerable to the governor
and consolidating administrative functions, we provide the governor with
more authority to fulfill his role as chief executive of the state.
With increased authority will come increased responsibility and
accountability for our governor to produce results.
To bring even further accountability to government operations,
the Bill will create an office of Inspector General and strengthen
protections for civic minded state employees who report waste and
misconduct. First, an office of Inspector General will be created and
charged with rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the operations of
state government. It is time that South Carolina has an officer whose
single minded purpose is investigating and evaluating such problems. My
bill will also strengthen our currently weak Whistle Blowers Act to
encourage state employees to *blow the whistle* on misconduct,
inappropriate practices, or waste that hinders the proper functioning of
our state government.
Empowering our government is not a zero sum game. No one has to
lose. In fact, the proposed Government Accountability Act makes all of
South Carolina the winner. We must increase the efficacy of our
government by changing the traditional role of the General Assembly to
require continuous evaluation of government operations and programs. We
must reform our budget process, restructure the executive branch to
place more responsibility on the governor, and create an Inspector
General to investigate and prosecute government misconduct.
Increasing power and accountability in one branch without
addressing the deficiencies in the other will result in disappointment.
The time for change is now; we cannot afford to wait.

S.C. Sen. Vincent Sheheen represents District 27 in the South Carolina Senate,
which encompasses Chesterfield Kershaw and portions of Lancaster Counties.