2196

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

transfers and retentions under any proposed
eliminations; requesting that the Governor submit with
the budget bill a statistical summary of certain
programs; and requesting that this information be
coordinated with the executive plans of the agencies.

WHEREAS, All State agencies participated in the
alternative—level budgeting in 1977 and 1978 pursuant to
House Joint Resolution 119 and 107; and

WHEREAS, Many agencies responded to the requirement for
proposing budget reductions by simply listing the items in
their budgets which represented increases over the previous
year's budget, or agency—wide reductions which were potently
in feasible, or made other proposals which did not indicate a
serious effort to identify lowest and highest priorities
from a managerial and policy—making perspective; and

WHEREAS, Some agencies made thoughtful, well—structured
recommendations which were in fact implemented during the
budget process; and

WHEREAS, The need for critical examination by the
Executive and the General Assembly of existing State
programs continues, and indeed is growing; now, therefore,
be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
Governor is requested to submit to the General Assembly as
part of each Executive Plan, but not later than July 1,
1979, a detailed list, with detailed justification and
impact analysis, from each agency, of the programs and
positions which it would elect to eliminate, reduce,
increase, or add if its budget were:

(1)    Reduced in operating administrative and
formula-funded components by approximately 5 percent of the
amount appropriated for fiscal year 1980;

(2)    Increased by approximately 5 percent of the
amount appropriated for fiscal year 19 80.

The submissions should represent department or
agency—wide priorities, indicating which specific programs
or elements are least or most effective, as the case may be,
and should avoid simplistic across-the-board cuts, function
transfers, and other responses which avoid discussion of the
merits of particular agency activities. Submissions may
recommend that particular activities be phased out, or in,
over a longer period of time than 1 fiscal year; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That each agency is further requested to
submit at the time that agency budget requests are submitted
to the Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning a concise