Unsolved mystery: What exactly does state government do?
SPRINGFIELD -- Maybe you've wondered exactly what Illinois state government does with all that tax money. Well, state government is wondering, too.
Auditor General William Holland reported Wednesday that he tried to research whether some government services could be consolidated but he found there was no master list of programs.
His office then surveyed state agencies and found about 1,750 programs. But Holland said there are probably even more out there, because some agencies did not give him a detailed list.
Holland took a closer look at 50 programs that he thought could be consolidated. In almost every case, officials insisted their program was special and could not combine with any others.
Three agencies did volunteer that maybe one of their programs could mix with a similar program offered elsewhere. But in each case, the other agency involved with the consolidation claimed it wouldn't work.
"It's called job preservation," said Rep. Rich Brauer, a Petersburg Republican who serves on the Legislative Audit Commission.
The commission asked Holland to review programs because the state has no ongoing process to identify duplication and consolidate services. The commission said tight budgets make it an important issue.
"I don't think we can just dismiss it and say, 'Gee whiz, too bad, no one can count them.' There has to be some follow-up," said Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, another commission member. "How do you consolidate programs, how do you drive efficiency when you don't even know what we have?"
Some agencies responded to the survey by listing various departments rather than all the programs they offer, Holland said.
For instance, the Department of Children and Family Services protects thousands of foster children, investigates abuse allegations and promotes adoption, among other duties. Yet it told Holland it has a total of four programs Ã¢â‚¬â€ť compared to 198 at the Department of Public Health.
Agencies offered several reasons for rejecting consolidation of the 50 programs that Holland examined more closely. Some operate under state regulations, while others follow federal rules. Some regulate businesses, but others simply consult.
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