Where's the Vision Governor?
Sources at the Capitol complain that Brad Henry is still trapped in the mindset of a lawyer/legislator - wanting to know the details of issues and projects and unable to see the big picture. Not only that, but he has surrounded himself with a cabinet of like-thinkers - technocrats obsessed with the small details and without the "vision thing". While others want to move forward on issues such as new wave economic development and globalization the Governor seems to have his head stuck in the sand. Granted, he has a big challenge with the budget but rather than move forward with wealth-creating projects he is focused on cutting the state's economic development budget. He says one thing and does another. He says while other states pull back on economic development he is going to go full steam ahead. How? By slashing the state's economic development efforts?
Governor Henry was in the Legislature for years. He knows the wastage is in the pork barrel projects hidden in the state's "pass-through" funds. These are line-item appropriations Legislators pass-through state agencies on to their pet projects. The state agencies have no control over these pass-throughs and there is no oversight of how the monies are spent. Two-thirds of some agencies' budgets are pass-throughs. Why not cut the pork Governor and use it for revenue-generating economic development?
Saturday, May 03, 2003
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
The Late Show
Punctuality doesn't seem to be Governor Henry's thing. He arrives late at everything, often very late. It all starts with a late arrival at the office - sometimes an hour late, and then everything is backed up all day long. People are routinely keep waiting for appointments and often find their appointment with the Governor cancelled at the last minute. Many, especially in the business community, can't get an appointment. Complaints about an inability to book the governor for events or to get an appointment abound. The street wonders what the Governor is doing - he's certainly not receiving many people. What does he spend his time doing?
Punctuality doesn't seem to be Governor Henry's thing. He arrives late at everything, often very late. It all starts with a late arrival at the office - sometimes an hour late, and then everything is backed up all day long. People are routinely keep waiting for appointments and often find their appointment with the Governor cancelled at the last minute. Many, especially in the business community, can't get an appointment. Complaints about an inability to book the governor for events or to get an appointment abound. The street wonders what the Governor is doing - he's certainly not receiving many people. What does he spend his time doing?