Dear Senators Wolk, DeSaulnier and Huff:

The League of Women Voters of California is pleased to support SB 14, your bill that would require a performance review of all state programs at least every ten years beginning in 2015 and the inclusion of performance-­‐based budgeting information in the Governor’s proposed budget beginning with the 2014-­‐15 fiscal year.

Under current law there is no requirement for regular review to assess state programs on a regular basis to determine their effectiveness or justify their continued existence. The League has long advocated such reviews of state programs, including tax expenditure programs, and we think it is particularly necessary now when falling revenues have forced severe cutbacks to many programs. It appears that the economy is not likely to recover quickly. Decisions about which programs most deserve funding or where greater efficiencies might serve to maintain adequate funding will continue to need more analysis than now takes place.

Term limits for legislators have discouraged careful examination of how each year’s budget decisions are likely to play out in the future. We hope this legislation will assist them in developing a longer perspective.

Sincerely,
Jennifer A. Waggoner
President

cc: James P. Mayer, Executive Director, California Forward

Subject

SB 14 Support

In response to

Letter to Senators Wolk, DeSulnier and Huff in support of their bill that would require a performance review of all state programs at least every ten years beginning in 2015 and the inclusion of performance-based budgeting informaiton in the Governor's proposed budget beginning with the 2014-15 fiscal year. (July 14, 2011)