Several department heads were at the State House  to  testify about their department's budgets.  Many of them are over budget and several of them have ignored an October 1st deadline to submit a plan for corrective action.  Things are bad and they will get worse.  I have no doubt that many department heads will shrug their shoulders and continue business as usual.

     There is one way to motivate department heads to live within their means, but the State is reluctant to use it.  Take a look at this:

“A state employee who knowingly, willfully, and repeatedly authorizes actions resulting in encumbrances or spending of state funds in excess of amounts appropriated may be fined up to $1,000 and/or terminated from employment,” reads the statute, which also requires department heads to submit “plans of corrective action … to prevent reoccurrence.”

“That has never been used. It’s not necessarily the best alternative,” the governor’s budget officer, Rosemary Booth Gallogly, said of the fine, adding that “not many” department heads had submitted written plans of corrective action.


      If you owned a business and your managers were over budget, would you tolerate it?  Of course not.  You wouldn't let someone casually squander your money.  I assume most people would feel the same, yet there is no outrage.  I don't hear anyone calling for department heads to be fired and fined for incompetence and violating Rhode Island laws.  If the State would begin firing incompetent department heads, I guarantee we would see the size and frequency of deficits diminish.  Unfortunately, I think the decision makers are too busy protecting their friend's jobs.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/FAILED_SPENDING_CUTS_12-03-08_KTCGHF1_v18.3c778bd.html