Tag Archives: state employees

Senate adopts Fortunato’s proposal to find government waste

State employees eligible for bonuses 

Politicians often talk about cutting government waste. The question is, how to find it?

State Senator Phil Fortunato argues that one of the best ways is to rely on front-line state workers. His proposal to re-establish the state Productivity Board, Senate Bill 5015, would do just that and was approved unanimously by the state Senate yesterday, the last day to pass Senate legislation out of the upper chamber.

The defunct program had provided financial incentives to state employees who find government waste, but due to budgetary constraints, the board was disbanded in 2011 because it cost $2 million.

“The fiscal note doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Fortunato, R-Auburn. “Using typical government logic, it did not look at the reason it cost $2 million because it paid bonuses to state employees who saved the state $20 million. Only government thinks that way.”

“State employees have the potential to save taxpayers much more in recurring costs from ineffective programs they’re administering,” added Fortunato, who hopes state employees will save taxpayers 10 times more than the cost of the program. With a biennial operating budget now over $65 billion, there is plenty of areas for potential savings, he noted.

If passed into law, the Productivity Board would be operational by July 2025 or sooner if the employment backlog in the Office of Secretary of State can be filled. The board would be required to evaluate the potential savings of a proposal and develop a list of possible productivity awards to be distributed to state employees, who could receive up to $10,000 or 10% of savings, whichever is lower.

“State workers are taxpayers, too. They know firsthand the inefficiencies in the programs the Legislature or state government creates. Now they will have a vested interest in making the best use of those tax dollars,” Fortunato said. “The more savings taxpayers realize, the more they can benefit.”

The measure will start working its way through the House of Representatives for consideration and must be approved by the House by April 12. The 2023 legislative session is scheduled to end April 23.

Fortunato bill rewards state employees who save taxpayers money

“Everybody knows government wastes money. The question is where is the waste?” says state Sen. Phil Fortunato. That’s why he introduced legislation that would reward state employees with a sizable bonus for finding government waste.

Senate Bill 6332, introduced in the first week of the 2018 legislative session, would re-establish the state productivity board, also referred to as the “employee involvement and recognition board.”

“In business there is an axiom that 50% of your advertising budget is wasted, the question is, which 50%.  We have that same problem with state spending.” said Fortunato, R-Auburn. “Legislators like to claim that they have saved taxpayers a couple million dollars, but state employees have the potential to save taxpayers billions in recurring costs. They see first-hand how the state implements and spends money on programs, so who better to tell us where the waste is.”

The new Productivity Board would be directed to develop an employee suggestion incentive program. Cash awards up to $10,000 for suggestions generating net savings, revenue or both could be awarded.

“Legislators come up with ways to save some money once in a while, but front-line state workers are the ones who really know where savings can be found, so we should rely on them to rein in state spending. That means the more money in bonuses, the more taxpayer savings. That is a good investment.”