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Article published Sep 22, 2003
Legislature should endorse panel's recommendations for
accountability
A panel appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford to
recommend a course for further restructuring of state government is leaning
toward eliminating elections for three constitutional offices -- a move that
would give this state a more effective governor.The Commission on Management
Accountability and Performance, appointed by the governor to recommend a plan
that would make government more efficient, proposes an end to elections for
education superintendent, adjutant general and secretary of state.There are no
reasons for voters to continue electing these statewide officers. They should be
included in the governor's Cabinet, which would allow the governor to truly be
accountable to the people.People expect the governor to manage our government.
They hold the governor accountable, for example, for the state's education
system. Under the current system of electing an education superintendent,
however, the result can be a governor and a superintendent with opposing views
on how to administer education. It would be more effective to elect a governor
whose policies on education are preferred by voters. Citizens then could hold
the governor responsible for choosing an education leader to carry out those
policies.The same is true for the offices of adjutant general and secretary of
state. Including those officeholders in the governor's Cabinet would allow the
governor to manage government in a more effective and efficient manner.The
governor's panel on accountability not only looked at the possibility of having
statewide officials appointed rather than elected but also considered plans that
would reorganize much of state government.This streamlining of government, which
calls for the consolidation of functions among state agencies as well as having
the governor appoint some of the state's constitutional officers, should be
pursued by this state's leadership in the General Assembly.Gov. Sanford
campaigned on the issue of creating an efficient and accountable government, and
the legislature should not put up any resistance to efforts that would allow for
a more effective management of this state's affairs.