Remember the scene in “The Candidate” where the telegenic underdog (played by Robert Redford) interrupts his victory celebration to ask his policy-free handler what he’s supposed to do now that he has been elected? Well, for all those victorious candidates out there who might be pondering the same question, here are a few priority items for the upcoming legislative session.

** Catch the Next Wave of Education Reform.

Back in 1993, the state embarked upon a multiyear school reform effort. Much work remains to complete this initiative, such as the full implementation of standards and assessments for students and teachers. In addition, several successful features of the reform need to be expanded. Most notably, the cap on charter schools should be lifted. Nevertheless, it is time to look over the horizon to the next set of reform priorities. Two issues stand out.

First, the school finance system must move away from funding districts to funding students. There are several common characteristics of good schools: high standards, autonomy, accountability, strong leadership and a sense of community. The current funding method undermines all these things (with the possible exception of high standards) by placing resources in the hands of central office administrators who by necessity rely on homogenized policies and bureaucratic controls. By placing more resources directly in individual schools, through a per-pupil formula and expanded parental choice, educators and parents will be able to exercise greater control over the quality of their schools. This is the way charter schools are financed and it works.

Second, schools need to be released from inflexible mandates that prevent educators from using resources most productively for the benefit of all students. The two most noteworthy targets of reform are special and bilingual education. Children who have disabilities or lack a basic knowledge of English are entitled to targeted assistance that will help them fulfill their potential. Unfortunately, current law is focused on compliance with rigid procedures that limit educational alternatives and impose unnecessary costs.

** Make Welfare Reform Work.

By the end of this year the first cohort of welfare recipients will reach the new two-year time limit. While the Department of Transitional Assistance has made great progress in reducing the welfare rolls, the state’s ability to stick with time limits in the face of pressure to grant indefinite extensions will require a concerted effort to improve the work prospects of ex-beneficiaries. Unfortunately, the track record of most job training programs is bleak. Instead, aggressive job placement initiatives, such as the one in Indianapolis run by the for-profit firm AmericaWorks and the Private Industry Partnership in New York City run by the non-profit Wildcat Services Corp., should be tried here. In addition, the state should work with city governments to reduce the many bureaucratic barriers to urban entrepreneurship that prevent low-income people from building small businesses. Rules governing the licensing of taxicabs, in-home food preparation, hairstyling and street vending would be a good place to start.

** Improve Infrastructure after the Mega-Projects.

With the federal spigot now yielding only drips and the state carrying a heavy per-capita debt burden, Massachusetts is unlikely to embark on yet another large-scale infrastructure project. The focus will be on the backlog of maintenance needs and on incremental expansion of existing assets. Yet even these more modest efforts will not be easily managed. To maximize the value of its future infrastructure investments, the state needs to set clear and measurable objectives and then order its priorities. Trying to spread limited resources across a limitless number of projects will only make matters worse. In addition, the creative use of private resources through innovative partnerships such as agreements that allow private firms to design, build, and manage public assets will need to be greatly expanded.

** Erect Barriers to Fiscal Excess.

Good economic times produce full government coffers, providing an almost irresistible temptation to expand long-term spending commitments that cannot be sustained when the economy turns down. The state must use this moment of fiscal surplus to strengthen the structural bulwarks that limit excessive spending. Specifically, the state should reduce income tax rates to 5 percent and codify the administration’s $ 1 billion annual debt ceiling.

** Stay Focused.

Many proposals will be put forward in the coming year that sound reasonable and popular. Nevertheless, in order to prevent an ever-expanding list of lesser priorities from undermining the successful achievement of the larger ones, our state leaders should adhere to this simple rule: When in doubt, just say no.

James A. Peyser is executive director of the Pioneer Institute, a public policy think tank.



Comments are closed.