Inseveraleditorialsoverthelastcoupleofyears,wehaveadvocatedforaddingarelativelysmallexpendituretostatespendingbecauseitcouldgenerate positiveresultsandbigsavings.We’rehappytowriteaboutitonemoretimetoreportsuccess. ThebudgetrecentlyapprovedbytheConnecticutGeneralAssemblycontainsabout$450,000tofullyfundtheStateContractingStandardsBoard. Asnamesgo,itdoesn’tgetmuchmorebureaucraticsoundingthanthatone.ThemissionoftheFreedomofInformationCommissionisspelledoutinitstitle.Whocouldbeagainstmakingsurecitizensarefreetoaccessinformationabouttheworkingsoftheirgovernment?Likewise,itisclearwhattheOfficeofStateEthicswascreatedtoaccomplish. Despiteitsarcanetitle,thetaskoftheContractingStandardsBoardisnolessimportant.Createdin2007,itwasabigpartofthereformsapprovedbytheDemocrat-controlledlegislatureandRepublicanGov.M.JodiRellinresponsetothescandalthatdroveRepublicanGov.JohnG.Rowlandfromofficeandintofederalprisonforayear.Rowlandadmittedtoacceptinggiftstosteerstatecontracts. Thelegislatureempoweredthe14-membervolunteerboardtoreviewstatecontractstomakesuretheycompliedwithstatelawandusedtaxdollarsefficiently.Ithadthepowertoinvestigateconcernsbroughttoitandsuspendpurchasesfoundinappropriate. Yetsubsequentlegislaturesandgovernorsneveradequatelyprovidedtheboardwiththeprofessionalresourcestoaccomplishitsmission.Fundingcoveredonlyonefull-timeposition,thatofanexecutivedirector.Evenwiththatlimitation,theboardhashadsomesuccessinexposingmalfeasance,includingexposingtheCapitalRegionDevelopmentAuthority’sfaultycontractingprocessfortheDillonStadiumrenovationinHartfordanddelvingtheprocedurallapsesthathavedoggedtheConnecticutPortAuthoritysinceitscreation. Buttobefullyeffectivetheboardneededstaffing.Nowitwillhaveit.Theexpenditureapprovedbythelegislaturewillallowtheboardtohirethechiefprocurementofficer,accountsexaminer,staffattorneyandresearchanalystitsaysitneeds. Gov.NedLamont,likehispredecessorDannelP.Malloy,didnotconsidergivingtheboardgreaterabilitytonosearoundcontractstobeahighpriority.AndwhileGov.Lamontnevertookusuponourrecommendationthathereversecourseandembracethefunding,hedidultimatelyrelent,tellingoureditorialboardinMarch,“Ithinkwe’llprobablymakeachange.” Inotherwords,Lamontagreednottostandinthewayofthelegislature’sbipartisansupportforfundingtheboard. Thelegislationisnotperfect.Effortstogivetheboardaddedprotection,byprohibitingagovernorfromimposingcutsduringthefiscalyear,faltered.TheFOICommissionandEthicshavethatprotection.Butagovernorwhocuttheboard’sfundingwouldbeplacingahugepoliticaltargetonhisorherback.Itseemsunlikely. Andtheboarddoesnothaveauthorityconcerningcontractsnegotiatedbythequasi-publicagencies,suchastheConnecticutLotteryCorporationandtheConnecticutGreenBank,thoughthelegislaturepreviouslycarvedoutanexceptiontoletitreviewtheportauthority.Butwesuspectthesequasi-publicsarenowonnoticethattheybestpaintwithinthelinesorseethelegislaturetargetthemforadditionalscrutinytoo. WhichhighlightsperhapsthegreatestbenefitofgivingtheContractingStandardsBoardmorebite.Itisanaddedincentiveforstateagenciestodothecontractingprocessright. Whilefundingforthe
