2009 Unified Economic Development Budget Report

by Doug Hoffer

Comments presented to the House Commerce & Senate Economic Development Committees

The intent of the UEDB is to provide the legislature with information about how much is spent for economic development (ED), for what, and with what results. The 2009 report answers the first two questions but failed (again) to answer the third. In the absence of objective and reliable performance data, policy makers cannot make informed decisions about resource allocation.

For the third year in a row, the report noted “a lack of clear and measurable goals for each initiative / program.” This is a disturbing admission since tens of millions of dollars are at stake. And it is especially troubling because it has been required by law since 1993, long before the adoption of the UEDB. Specifically, 32 V.S.A. § 307(c) requires all state agencies and departments to produce a strategic plan including “a statement of mission and goals [and] a description of indicators used to measure output and outcome.” Moreover, this issue was addressed in two reports by the State Auditor in the 1990s...
Link to full presentation