Budget Amendment ID: FY2013-S4-144

GOV 144

Establishment of Taxpayer Accountability Office 2

Messrs. Tarr, Knapik and Hedlund moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section ___, the following new section:-

Section ___.  There is hereby established, within the executive office for administration and finance, the office of taxpayer accountability, whose purpose shall be to ensure that the operations of state government are efficient and cost-effective, to provide timely and accurate information regarding subjects as revenue and economic forecasts, independent analysis of policy changes, economic trends and other factors involving the cost of state government and its impact on the taxpayers of the commonwealth.

Said office shall be administered by an executive director, whom shall be selected by a committee consisting of the governor of the commonwealth or his designee, the treasurer of the commonwealth or a designee, the auditor of the commonwealth or a designee, the inspector general of the commonwealth or a designee, the speaker of the house or a designee, the president of the senate or a designee, and the secretary of the commonwealth or a designee.  Said committee shall convene not less than once per year to review the operations of the office, and shall issue reports as necessary to inform the public of those operations.

The executive director shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 268A of the General Laws, and shall serve for a term of three years, provided that an individual holding such position shall be eligible for reappointment to not more than two additional terms, and shall be qualified by relevant experience and education.

The executive director may employ not more than five additional staff members to perform the operations of the office, and my retain the services of consultants and experts on a contract basis to perform the necessary tasks of the office, provided that its total initial cost of operations shall not exceed $300,000, which shall be defrayed by contributions from the executive office for administration and finance and other state agencies.

Said office shall, at a minimum,

1.)develop revenue forecasts and measure those forecasts against spending benchmarks;

2.)provide timely analysis of spending matters and proposed policy changes based on the request of constitutional officers and legislators, utilizing both static and dynamic methodologies;

3.)maintain a website to provide information to the general public;

4.)maintain a 7-day-per-week, 24-hour-per-day telephone line and e-mail capacity to receive suggestions and complaints from taxpayers.