Government Efficiency
State Spending Reform

01 Get Spending Under Control

State Spending Cap: Cap State spending to the average rate of inflation of the three previous calendar years and increase the maximum capacity of the rainy day fund (A.4845, Barclay).
Itemization in the State Budget: Require each section of the budget bills to clearly reference an appropriation to ensure budget negotiations are focused on fiscal issues (A.2255, Ra).
Lump-Sum Appropriation Allocation Reform: Create a lump-sum allocation advisory committee, requiring greater transparency related to lump-sum appropriations (A.6337, Barclay).
Budget Reform: Prohibit the legislature from recessing after the start of the State fiscal year until a budget is passed (A.2085, Ra).
Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund: Increase the maximum percentage allowed to be deposited from surplus revenues into the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund from two to four percent (A.2258, Ra).

Back-Door Borrowing Reform: Prohibit the use of public authorities to issue debt on behalf of the State and also limits the amount and scope of debt issuances (A.2155, Ra).
Debt Reporting Requirements: Require all State agencies and all State and local authorities to submit an annual report including information related to debt (A.2562, Ra).
Debt Propositions: Require propositions authorizing the creation of State debt to include an estimate of the debt service payable, require publication of an explanation of the proposition, and require at least 10% of any surplus to be used to pay down State debt (A.2231, Ra).
Settlements and Debt Service: Require five percent of any settlement money totaling $1 million or more to be directly applied to the debt principal in the debt service fund (A.2353, Ra).
Intergovernmental Loans and State-Supported Debt: Fix a loophole in the current Debt Reform Act by requiring inter-governmental loans to be included within the definition of state-supported debt (A.2690, Ra).

Legislation with Non-Recurring Revenue: Require that any bill that provides revenue to the State in a non-recurring manner shall pass by a two-thirds majority in order to become law (A.2067, Ra).
Financial Plan Requirement: Require the Governor to provide the Legislature with Enacted Budget Financial Plan estimates no later than one day prior to voting on the Aid to Localities, State Operations, or Capital Projects budget bills (A.3940, Ra).
Public Authorities Voting Reform: Provide voting power to minority members that are appointed to the Public Authorities Control Board (A.5681, Barclay).
Legislative Oversight of Debt Practices: Require legislative approval to determine whether state-supported debt issued during a declared emergency will be subject to the established debt cap limitations (A.2700, Ra).
Office of Policy Research and Fiscal Analysis: Create a nonpartisan “Office of Policy Research and Fiscal Analysis” designed to provide confidential information on the impact of current and proposed legislative policy to any member of the Assembly or Senate (A.4532, Ra).