Traditionally, the six months from August in an election year
through the following February, it is the quiet time for the
federal, state and local governments. August is already gone this
year, the proposed budgets have gotten their once-over. Incumbent
candidates are focused on reelection. Those relinquishing their
seats by personal or voter choice are winding down. And the new
legislators will soon be getting up to speed. Very little
long-range planning is usually accomplished during this period.
Traditionally, the six months from August in an election year through the following February, it is the quiet time for the federal, state and local governments. August is already gone this year, the proposed budgets have gotten their once-over. Incumbent candidates are focused on reelection. Those relinquishing their seats by personal or voter choice are winding down. And the new legislators will soon be getting up to speed. Very little long-range planning is usually accomplished during this period.
However, these are anything but traditional times and we cannot afford to waste these precious months. Now is the perfect time for our local governments to get to work on the plans necessary so we may prosper in the future.
Of course, that’s not the way Congress operates. They are currently on a six-week vacation to get ready for their next vacation. The House and the Senate will be in a “non-legislative period” – a vacation – from Aug. 9 to Sept. 12. Then, after returning for four weeks of grueling “work,” Congress is scheduled to adjourn on Oct. 8 for the rest of the year, taking more than 12 additional weeks off. If they decide to stay in session longer this year, it is only because they are afraid to go home.
Obviously, we have Congress to use as the perfect bad example. Now, what can we use as a good example? The public sector can learn a lot about the planning process from the best of the private sector. Although the government does not operate for profit, it should be operating for effectiveness and efficiency. I have heard many good ideas from both the public and our incumbent local politicians, but they never seem to get these ideas implemented because there is no plan. The problem is that ideas, no matter how good, do not implement themselves. Operational blueprints are necessary to make things happen.
The real measure of any proposal is the correct objective and how it fills the huge gap between the idea and the implementation. In the best cases, there are objectives, milestones, schedules, reviews, and feedback. Successful enterprises use a classic continuous loop: plan-do-check-correct-plan and so on. A plan helps identify the right objectives – it is not an objective in itself. When you have a plan the serious work is not over, it’s just starting.
An example of the right objective would be to reduce the vacancy rate downtown by half in two years. The wrong objective would be to produce a downtown plan and put it aside. All too often plans are produced at great expense only to grow old and dusty because there is no implementation process.
The excuse for not doing long-range planning during these periods often involves the fact that there are elections in the offing and new players with new ideas will be at the table in the future. What better way is there to leave a legacy than to do a good job of planning although others will implement them? The outgoing members will have done a service for the public and for the new office holders. Even if the new people have other ideas, they are more likely to modify and build on existing good ideas and implement them than start from scratch. This also allows those who are not standing for election to fulfill their responsibilities through the election cycle.
Legislators often complain that they do not have adequate study and staff time to do long-range planning. I would disagree; the time is available right now, but only if they decide to use it.
Marty Richman is a Hollister resident.
