The Governance Process

1
The Governance Process
Agencies provide goods or services OR Agencies
sub-contract work to others
Monies are disbursed to implementing agencies
Budgets Created
Are the monies allocated sufficient to meet
program goals and intent of law? Do budget
priorities reflect citizen preferences?
Within the public agency, are qualified staff
deployed to realize the intent of the law? Do
staff seek citizen input and feedback on
performance?
Are quality goods and services provided at a
reasonable cost? Is the contracting process
open and fair? Are oversight mechanisms
effective?
2
The Governance Process in at the State Level in
the U.S.
Pay to play contractors Private providers,
increasingly large multinationals Developers

• Pressure to privatize from
• Fiscal problems
• Econ dev deals w/ subsidies
• Marketing from financial
• Consultants and private firms
• ALEX, Reason, etc.

Campaign contributors Lobbyist for special
interests
Agencies provide goods, services, manage public
assets OR Agencies contract with private
providers to provide goods, services or manage
public assets for a fee
Legislators and Executive Create Budget
Monies are disbursed to implementing agencies

• EARN, SFAI and public
• interest advocacy groups
• Human service groups
• Unions
• Citizen groups

• Public sector unions
• US PIRG
• A few SFAI/EARN groups
• Nonprofits directly impacted