(Columbia-AP) Jan. 22, 2003 - A panel studying government restructuring has released a report that calls for an overhaul of state government.

The panelists unanimously agreed that the governor should make appointments for the offices of education superintendent, agriculture commissioner and adjutant general. The appointments would have to be approved by the Senate.

The panelists also recommended that the positions of secretary of state and comptroller general be eliminated. Their responsibilities would be transferred to the governor's office.

Governor Mark Sanford asked the 21-member task force to suggest ideas for changing state government. Most of the proposals would require legislative action.

None of the ideas were developed enough to show how much they would cost to implement or how much they could eventually save.

Other proposals: 

• Some panelists also wanted the treasure's office to become an appointed position.
• Reorganizing the executive branch into 15 cabinet-level agencies.
• Decreasing service duplication by rolling all health-related services into one agency.
• Moving some Governor's Office programs to other agencies.
• Giving the Higher Education Commission authority to govern some college operations.
• Merging the State Museum, State Library and literary and cultural resources into a single agency.
• Requiring agencies to regularly justify all of their spending by applying zero-based budgeting principals.
• Creating an administrative cabinet agency that would take over some functions of the Budget and Control Board and have power to oversee state technology purchases.

posted 8:12am by Chris Rees