Schwarzenegger Will Not Release California Performance Review Until State Budget Is Finalized

Representatives for the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Monday announced that the California Performance Review is complete but will not be released to the public until legislators approve the state budget, "so as not to derail an agreement," the Sacramento Bee reports (Talev, Sacramento Bee, 6/29). The 2,000-page proposal is expected to recommend consolidating some entities in the Health and Human Services Agency, reducing Medi-Cal fraud and removing some of the state's 1,500 political appointees. Among possible eliminations is the Medical Assistance Commission because it reportedly pays salaries of at least $90,000 for part-time positions. The proposal is expected to contain 1,000 recommendations on 500 issues (California Healthline, 5/21). According to the Bee, the report also could recommend the creation of an office of management and budget that would contain the Finance Department, procurement, personnel and collective bargaining decisions in one location.

According to the Bee, Schwarzenegger cannot implement most of the changes unilaterally. Instead, some proposals may be voted on as legislation and others are expected to be submitted early next year in the form of a special reorganization process in which lawmakers would choose to accept or reject the proposals without amendment (Sacramento Bee, 6/29).

Schwarzenegger on Monday released the names of 21 appointments to a commission that will manage the reorganization. The commission will be headed by William Hauck, president of the California Business Roundtable, and Joanne Kozberg, a partner in California Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm (AP/San Diego Union-Tribune, 6/29). The list of commission appointees is available online.