Smart money: Spend where it lifts N.C. quality of life, cut where it doesn't

There is a reason that the term "bureaucracy" has such a negative connotation.

It is what happens when organizations that began with a real purpose and mission become mazes of inefficiency for the public they were meant to serve and cash cows for the bureaucrats assigned to manage them.

Such is the case with the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center.

The purpose was to provide help for the state's rural counties as they seek to grow their industrial bases and to provide opportunities for their residents.

It was supposed to make the playing field even -- to bring brighter futures and more possibilities for those who live outside the Raleigh and Charlotte beltways.

Now, fast forward.

Years pass, and no one is really paying attention, and the organization becomes a bit of a juggernaut.

And then, when someone looks closer, they find that there were thousands of dollars being wasted and the chief of the organization had carved himself out a nice little retirement plan.

At least they weren't buying $1,000 hammers.

Once again we have proof that larger government is not necessarily good government -- and that there really is waste and there really are places where the budget could be tightened.

Not every organization is well-run either. Sometimes there is a need for new management and a fresh eye to see where things could be done better.

In this day of ever-shrinking tax receipts and with many people facing job loss or underemployment, there is a real need for watchdogs -- officials who are keeping their eye on where the money is going and whether it is being used efficiently.

So the governor and his staff should be commended for gathering the facts and taking quick action to correct what can only be described as money swirling down the drain.

The reason for vigilance is simple: Money that is being spent improperly cannot be used for real needs in the state.

Cutting back on hundreds of thousands of dollars of expense in one area could mean more money for important tasks like improving education or fixing roads and bridges.

But keeping a close eye on expenses also must be done responsibly.

Just assuming there is money being wasted is not enough.

Researching budgets, providing evidence and knowing what is a necessary expense and what is frivolous spending are critical steps before cuts are made and bureaucracies curtailed.

It is just as damaging to take money away that is actually working effectively as it is to waste it.

Every taxpayer likes to hear you are saving him or her money. And many are certain that their dollars are flying out the window in a flurry of government excess.

But real management for the future requires measured action and smart decisions -- not willy nilly cutting just to say you have done so.

Knowing where to find waste and knowing when not to touch an organization because it is operating efficiently are critical to creating a plan that will grow the state and not slow it down.

Let's hope the governor continues down that intelligent, measured path.

Published in Editorials on August 8, 2013 10:38 AM