凍結 天然氣 火車

One of the problems with government is that senior management is in the hands of politicians. And, as a class, politicians are self-serving, self-interested manipulators.

The first is the tendency to staff government with political supporters rather than competent workers.

A conservative caution on personnel reform

The Legislature passed Gov. Jan Brewer’s personnel reform for state workers before adjourning. That’s not surprising. Brewer made it clear that it was her price not of entry, but of exit. The session would not have ended peaceably without it.

Nevertheless, I still have the nagging feeling that this has been rushed through without being adequately thought out. A better reform should be possible.

Some of Brewer’s reform is just good management. A scattershot of personnel systems is consolidated into one covering most state agencies, creating more consistent personnel rules and practices across state government.

The heart of the reform, however, is to change the legal status of most state workers. At present, state workers have, in essence, a property right to their job. They can only be disciplined for cause and have appeal rights both within and beyond the agency for which they work, and ultimately to the courts.

This is a vastly different legal status than private sector workers have in Arizona. They are generally what the lawyers call at-will employees, meaning that their employer can change their job status or conditions at any time, without cause and without review.

Brewer’s reform would make newly hired state workers at-will, as well as current state workers who take promotions or raises. A broader spectrum of management and skilled positions would also be made at-will.

The current civil service system does make for a sluggish government that is difficult to manage. Government workers shouldn’t have a property right to their job. Disciplining workers shouldn’t require a willingness to go to court.

On the other hand, civil service systems were set up in Arizona and other places for a reason. One of the problems with government is that senior management is in the hands of politicians. And, as a class, politicians are self-serving, self-interested manipulators.

There are two adverse and potentially dangerous consequences to this. The first is the tendency to staff government with political supporters rather than competent workers. The second is the need for political connections and influence to get government to do something. And in these days of the Tedious State, doing almost anything in the private sector requires someone in government to do something first.

So, state workers need a buffer between them and the politicians. Not a property right to their job, but something.

Perhaps there will be that something in the rules implementing the law to be issued by the Department of Administration. But there isn’t an adequate buffer in the bill itself.

The bill does maintain the current misdemeanor for an elected or appointed official using political influence or position to affect the job status of a state worker. But the criminal law is an inadequate buffer against the wily and subtle ways of the political class.

The reaction to Brewer’s reform was predictable along political and ideological lines. Liberal Democrats instinctively oppose any reduction in worker protections or benefits in either the public or private sectors, and have denounced the reform. Conservative Republicans instinctively oppose public employees having rights and privileges not generally available to private sector workers, and have applauded it.

Conservatives, however, should be more cautious. They should also have a concern about the politicization of government and the concentration of political power.

Brewer has recently moved to neuter the board of executive clemency, which was intended to provide her with independent advice on things such as commutations. And a parks director was apparently hired more for his political connections than for his ability to manage parks.

These are not good signs.