As Lake County's 2008 budget is being assembled, the recommendations by Good Government Initiative consultant Maximus Inc. are generating more dust than action.
That must not be allowed to happen.
It has been six months since Lake County officials learned what Maximus would recommend.
The result of the privately funded efficiency study was a strong blueprint for change that would save more than $5 million in job and spending reductions.
And yet the budgets being assembled from the various departments call for at least $11 million in additional spending.
Hit the brakes!
The County Council must insist that the Maximus recommendations be followed in 2008, which is nearly half a year away.
Here's one place to start. The Maximus study recommended the elimination of 20 full-time deputy auditors, 26 full-time deputy clerks and 26 full-time deputy treasurers.
But the proposed budgets for those three offices don't include a single job elimination.
Lake County taxpayers should be up in arms over this outrage.
Dragging heels on implementing the recommendations of the study must not be tolerated.
About the study
The 1,059-page final report on making Lake County government more efficient was issued five months ago by Maximus Inc., a Reston, Va.-based consultant. The study was funded by BP, Mittal Steel, NiSource, U.S. Steel and Whiteco.
Look it up online
Read the recommendations at nwi.com/goodgovernment
Your opinion, please
Should the Good Government Initiative recommendations be implemented in 2008, or is more time needed?
