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Show Zero-Base Budgeting and Sunset laws Being Studied Many governmental units across the nation are examining examin-ing the possibility of adopting tt JJl irrTTTTTTrv v . zero-base budgeting and sunset sun-set laws as a means of controlling rising government costs. This was reported by Utah Foundation, the ; rivate research agency. Zero-base budgeting is a technique where government departments and agencies periodically must justify their , entire appropriation request before, the legislative body. Unless the agency's worth is sustained through this reexamination reex-amination process, programs and activities can be eliminated elimina-ted or curtailed. Presently, Budgetary procedures in most governmental units require that the spending agencies have to justify enly the increases in their budgets above the level of the preceding year. Sunset laws, which are a counterpart to zero-base budgets, bud-gets, are another technique to force regular review of government govern-ment programs. Under the sunset approach, agencies and programs have fixed termination termina-tion dates. Unless the agency can justify its continued existence before the legislative body, it is automatically elimiated. Thus, by setting specified expiration dates, lawmakers are compelled to reexamine and reenact or reject every program at periodic intervals. Foundation analysts point out that during the past few years approximately a dozen states have enacted zero-base budgeting and sunset laws. In addition, legislatures in at least a half dozen more states are examining the concept. In all likelihood, the zero-base budgeting concept also will be considered by the Federal Government when Congress convenes in January. According to the Foundation report, the popularity of zero-base budgeting and sunset sun-set legislation during the past few years has been prompted by rising expenditures and growing governmental bureaucracy. bur-eaucracy. The new techniques have been developed to reappraise and weed out those government programs and activities that no longer may be needed or whose costs clearly exceed the benefits derived. The Foundation study observed ob-served that experts are divided as to what can be accomplished accom-plished by zero-base budgeting budget-ing and sunset laws. Backers of the proposals claim that it is the best way to cut government govern-ment costs and give citizens more and better service for their tax dollar. Critics, on the other hand, maintain that while the idea sounds good in theory it will generate moun-taims moun-taims of additional paper work and never actually work in practice. Proponents of zero-base budgeting and sunset laws contend that this action is needed . to identify overlapping, overlapp-ing, duplicative, and obsolete government programs, and to take the necessary steps to prune such deadwood from the budget. They also advance the following arguments: It is a technique frequently used by private business to control costs. -It makes every program and activity of government on its own merits. --It provides the basic information needed to rearrange rear-range program priorities. -It provides a means for identifying and consolidating or eliminating programs that duplicate or overlap each I other. ' Opponents of zero-base budgeting and sunset laws maintain that government agencies would bog down under the added work load that would be created by periodic reviews of programs and activities. Included among the arguments presented by the opponents are the following: follow-ing: -It would greatly lengthen and complicate the budgetary process. -It would require added staffing of budget personnel in the executive budget office and the legislative body. --It would hamper long-' long-' range planning. --It would create delays which might impair the work of limited-time legislative bodies bod-ies such as are found in many states including Utah. The Utah Foundation study concludes that the Final evaluation evalu-ation of zero-base budgeting 1 and sunset legislation is not yet in. The report notes that the technique has much potential merit, but the experience ex-perience to date has been extremely limited as to how the concept will work in actual nrai'l . |
