How to Sunset Big Government

by Charles Katebi

In civics 101, we learn how government works. Voters elect legislators, legislators pass bills, and bills become law. This side of government is transparent and accountable. But there is another side of government that is far less accountable.

Once a bill becomes law, it's up to an agency to enforce it. Sometimes they effectively enforce laws as legislators intended. But all too often they use their new powers grow their bureaucracy at taxpayer expense rather than solve problems.

Wyoming entrusts 48 state agencies to regulate everything from the air we breathe to the water we drink. Some of these play important roles ensuring public safety. Many, however, have little reason to exist.

Take for example the Wyoming Business Council. According to the Council's website, its purpose is to "Focus public and private efforts to build a strong job creation base in the new economy with manufacturing and technology as core competencies." Yet despite spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize politically-connected companies, Wyoming's manufacturing and IT sectors remain anemic.

Wyoming's government is riddled with programs that the private sector already delivers more effectively. The Wyoming Office of Tourism (WOT) is a perfect example. Between 2015 and 2016, the legislature paid the agency $28.5 million to provide for "Wyoming's collective tourism needs." This includes marketing to potential tourists, providing customer service, and facilitating commercial partnerships that promote tourism.

Yet every service WOT provides is already offered by private entrepreneurs and businesses. An internet search for "Wyoming tours and travel," turns up dozens of websites that offer tours, lodging, resorts, and other attractions for travelers. And none of these options cost taxpayers a dime.

There are likely many other unnecessary programs in our sprawling state government that might be just as wasteful or even harmful to the public.

Unfortunately here in Wyoming we have no way to systemically evaluate state programs, but many states use Sunset Commissions to hold government agencies accountable. Senators, House Members, and private citizens serve on the commission boards and agencies must regularly report to them on the merits of every program they run. The public can also participate in sunset reviews. This allows citizens to praise effective agencies, report on feckless ones, and suggest ways to improve.

After reviewing an agency, the sunset commission makes a final decision to either continue it as is, reform it, or abolish it altogether. If the commission recommends that an agency continue, it introduces legislation that prolongs it. If it recommends that an agency close, the agency is automatically dissolved within a year.

Sunset commissions have proven to be a powerful tool for streamlining government. A report by the Mercatus Center found that state sunset commissions ended 21 percent of all statutes and boards they reviewed. Ohio in particular successfully cut 29 percent of the programs under review.

Sunsetting wasteful programs saves taxpayers a lot of money. Since its inception in 1977, the Texas Sunset Commission has abolished 78 state agencies and saved taxpayers $945.4 million. Since the commission only spent $32.8 million over its lifetime, every dollar it spends yields 29 dollars in savings for taxpayers. Minnesota has a 42 to 1 return on its sunset spending.

These are savings Wyoming badly needs.