FDOC's poor report card could mark its end
FDOC's poor report card could mark its end
BThe Florida Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability issued Nov. 16 the Department of Citrus, Options for Legislative Consideration in its Sunset Memorandum. It was not a favorable report card.
The legislature directed that office to examine the Florida Department of Citrus' operations and focus on its purpose, organization, responsibilities, resources and performance. And it addressed key challenges facing the department, including lower in-state citrus production due to hurricane damage, disease, development of agricultural land and increases in imported orange juice from foreign producers that do not pay Florida taxes.
The report stated, "The Department of Citrus (sic) did not meet established standards for five of its 10 performance measures in the fiscal year 2006-07."
It also stated that the department did not meet the established standards for other performance measures, saying, "The volume of fresh orange, grapefruit and specialty fruit shipped domestically did not meet the performance standard in fiscal year 2006-07."
The FDOC's administrative costs as a percentage of its total budget were higher than the performance standard for fiscal year 2006-07 and in the prior two fiscal years. The FDOC asserted that this standard was not met because the majority of its administrative costs are fixed and the total budget has declined over the past three years. The result was that the costs constituted a larger proportion of the total department budget.
Of major importance in the statement was the list of options proposed, three of which include transferring some or all of the FDOC's functions to the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. One option stated, "Eliminate Department of Citrus and transfer its functions to a new Division of Citrus within the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services." Another recommended, "Eliminate Department of Citrus, integrate all functions into existing Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services' programs; citrus commission could become an advisory committee."
In a letter of response to the legislature on Nov. 20, Kristen Gunter, executive director of the FDOC, stated, "Even with the industry's high regard for FDACS and Commissioner Charles H. Bronson, with no promise of better-quality programs, significantly reduced costs or other valuable efficiencies, it is no wonder that the option to transfer programs to the FDACS is viewed at worst as the beginning of the end for a challenged industry and at best as little more than window dressing. The current system works and allows active involvement by all segments of the industry, including processors. We'd like to keep it."
The legislature directed that office to examine the Florida Department of Citrus' operations and focus on its purpose, organization, responsibilities, resources and performance. And it addressed key challenges facing the department, including lower in-state citrus production due to hurricane damage, disease, development of agricultural land and increases in imported orange juice from foreign producers that do not pay Florida taxes.
The report stated, "The Department of Citrus (sic) did not meet established standards for five of its 10 performance measures in the fiscal year 2006-07."
It also stated that the department did not meet the established standards for other performance measures, saying, "The volume of fresh orange, grapefruit and specialty fruit shipped domestically did not meet the performance standard in fiscal year 2006-07."
The FDOC's administrative costs as a percentage of its total budget were higher than the performance standard for fiscal year 2006-07 and in the prior two fiscal years. The FDOC asserted that this standard was not met because the majority of its administrative costs are fixed and the total budget has declined over the past three years. The result was that the costs constituted a larger proportion of the total department budget.
Of major importance in the statement was the list of options proposed, three of which include transferring some or all of the FDOC's functions to the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. One option stated, "Eliminate Department of Citrus and transfer its functions to a new Division of Citrus within the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services." Another recommended, "Eliminate Department of Citrus, integrate all functions into existing Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services' programs; citrus commission could become an advisory committee."
In a letter of response to the legislature on Nov. 20, Kristen Gunter, executive director of the FDOC, stated, "Even with the industry's high regard for FDACS and Commissioner Charles H. Bronson, with no promise of better-quality programs, significantly reduced costs or other valuable efficiencies, it is no wonder that the option to transfer programs to the FDACS is viewed at worst as the beginning of the end for a challenged industry and at best as little more than window dressing. The current system works and allows active involvement by all segments of the industry, including processors. We'd like to keep it."
