News ClipsCheck the new WhoseFlorida for updates
Dogged audit system makes state better
OPPAGA looks pretty darn objective and scientific to me
I never heard of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
Accountability (OPPAGA) until "whoseflorida" kept mentioning
it. I read these postings regularly and a few asserted that the
OPPAGA is manipulated by republicans who control the legislature and
that the OPPAGA didn't use "scientific methodologies."
I just don't see any basis for either of these criticisms.
If the OPPAGA is manipulated and just a tool of JEB Bush and the
republican legislature's majority, why would OPPAGA have the periodic
gall to issue reports that clearly run contrary to the republican party
line? Why would JEB try to zero out the OPPAGA's budget?
The OPPAGA puts all of its reports online at http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us
and is highly productive. It puts out a weekly newsletter distributed by
email called "The Florida Monitor Weekly." See: http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/weekly/default.asp.
It has a huge area on its website called "The Florida Government
Accountability Report" (http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/government)
that allows users to find information that is impossible to find on
myflorida.com. The OPPAGA's FGAR site is amazing because it covers
EVERY agency and program in state government very thoroughly in
"profiles" that are in a uniform format, which makes it easy
to find things. It is clearly written, too, which is unusual for
government.
The OPPAGA, contrary to one critic, uses sophisticated research
methodology. The OPPAGA's reports are crammed with citations,
helpful cross-references, numbers supporting findings, graphics, and
links to research reports done by other organizations. It even
follows up and sticks it to agencies that ignore recommendations.
Its reports critical of ineffective penalties and fines for chronically
overweight trucking companies were supported by some real good science
and must have really chapped the trucking industry! See: http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/reports/trans/r01-45s.html.
Then again, the democrats, too, probably don't like the OPPAGA findings
that privatization will work if properly planned and executed and saves
money. Democrats probably don't like OPPAGA's ideas to end
ineffective programs such as (and get this), the "blind
babies" program and its suggestion to control the growth of
spending on developmental disability programs. And the OPPAGA is
also doing critical, cost-saving reviews of county school districts,
which democrats and unions like to protect. These school reports
(all online at http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/school_districts/districtreviews.html)
are huge and have many ideas to save money and improve management.
My point is this: somebody over at OPPAGA must have a lot of courage. I read audits for a living in my business and these OPPAGA reports are like no audits I've ever read, bar none. In this era when "spin" is the thing and communications consultants have taken over government, the OPPAGA appears to be throwing knuckleballs that don't spin much and is striking out republicans and democrats alike.
No organization can be truly "objective" as humans have biases
that no methodology can completely eliminate. But this Office of
Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability could teach the US
Justice Department, General Accounting Office, the Securities and
Exchange Corporation and the Association of Independent Certified Public
Accountants a thing or two about what "due diligence" is all
about.
.... Retired Live Oak Loner; 7/21/02 Can Oppaga truly
be an independent body?
I have reviewed the work of OPPAGA over the years and am perplexed by
what seems to be a lack of true scientific methodologies when the agency
conducts performance reviews of state agencies.
As a researcher, this frightens me to know that some key decisions will
be made based upon research that is not research.
I also have to question whether OPPAGA, which is an office of the
Legislature, can truly be objective in its reports. From
information that I've gathered from former employees of OPPAGA, it seeks
input from the Legislature on projects. This is good as the
Legislature is a major stakeholder, but what concerns me is whether or
not OPPAGA reports what is rather than what wants to be heard.
OPPAGA also claims to to seek cost savings and reports that it has saved
the state millions of tax dollars over the past 6 or so years.
Where is the money that this agency has saved? Have tax rates
decreased as a result of OPPAGA studies? Have agencies improved
efficiency and effectiveness?
This remains to be seen.
...Florida Government Insider, 8/21/01
|
