Vermont Accepts "The Challenge" from Public Strategies Group

This week, Governor Douglas, Senator Shumlin and Representative Smith have agreed to accept the report of the Public Strategies Group (cost $300,000). I assume that means they have also agreed to implement all the recommendations that will allegedly save $38 Million in FY2011.

While the news is good that Governor Douglas and Legislative leaders have agreed to accept "The Challenge," I doubt that all the savings will be realized in FY2011.

Who will be responsible for tracking the progress and quantifying the savings. Will the same group who has been tracking and reporting the use of ARRA (stimulus) funds do this? Will the State Auditor of Accounts be responsible?

State government has only a few months to implement these recomendations in order to allow time for them to be in place long enough to realize the assumed savings. The devil is always in the details.