Source: Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, 23/09/2008

The successful case of the Yeda Crusius government for facing and ending 37 years of consecutive deficits in the public machinery of the State of Rio Grande do Sul was presented on Tuesday (23) at the seminar on Bureaucracy and Management Efficiency. "You don't spend more than you collect, no public service can be missing and all inefficient programs will be cut," were determinations from the first day of government, recalled Yeda.

When opening the seminar lecture cycle, promoted by the Gaucho section of the British Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Brazil (Britcham / RS), at Novotel, in Porto Alegre, Yeda drew the public's attention with the narrative of his government's actions. And the scenario was: RS had been out of the international credit market for 11 years, suppliers were not paid, the 13th salary was honored with loan operations and deficits covered by extraordinary revenues, such as loan operations.

According to Yeda, this public machine needed to be renovated. “It was necessary to change the structures, the rules, to go further. We faced resistance, but today we have support ”. In her explanation, the governor spoke of inefficiency. “In addition to being old, the machine was not oiled to work at the pace of those who depended on it. And when oil is lacking, this type of machine generates income concentration, inequality and crime as by-products ”.

Another new measure adopted, according to Yeda, was: “Doing what our autonomy allows, it is no use just waiting for Brasília”. The result of these initiatives, added to the contracting of goals with state secretaries and presidents, in addition to cutting expenses without compromising services - spending more on less - will allow in 2009 an investment of R $ 1 billion and 250 million with resources from State Treasury and another R $ 1 billion and 118 million from state-owned companies.

Zero deficit and investment

In summary, the deficit of R $ 2,4 billion (expenditure greater than collection) at the beginning of 2007, decreased to R $ 1,2 billion in December. In 2008, the deficit will be less than R $ 300 million and in 2009 it will be zero. Conversely, public investments by the Government of RS increase from 3% of net revenue in 2008 to 7% in 2009 and 10% in 2010. Therefore, Yeda Crusius categorically stated that “zero deficit is investment”.

"Until tax reform comes, we will live off our tax," said the governor. In this strategy, she recalled the partnerships signed by the Government with the Legislative, Judiciary and municipal powers. This “tinkering with the machine” broke with the bureaucracy and enabled the Government to move forward on its three axes, whose objectives are: more and better jobs for the gauchos, more quality of life and the State at the service of the citizen.

The governor cited the important role of the Government's partnership with the Gaucho Quality and Productivity Program (PGQP) and advice from the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Gestão (INDG) in the great advancement of its management: the 12 structuring programs (Saúde Perto de Você, Boa Escola for All, Safe Citizen, Emancipate, Sanitation in Action, More Work, More Future, Irrigation and the Solution, Terra Grande do Sul, Duplica RS, Government of Results, Tax Adjustment and Our Cities).

According to Yeda, the Government is now communicating through the 12 programs to reach the Results Government, whose tools are public management, ombudsman, e-government, government houses, people management and Tudo Fácil, among others. The Seminar is aimed at businessmen, administrators, lawyers and the general public. It will bring together specialists in the field of public administration to discuss obstacles in the procedures, routines and processes of the Brazilian bureaucratic system.

For the president of Britcham / RS, Felipe Ferreira Silva, the bureaucracy hindered business between Brazil and the United Kingdom and with the other countries. Among the speakers, are the founder of the Instituto Hélio Beltrão, Antonio Marcos Umbelino Lobo, the former secretary of economics and planning of the state of São Paulo (1995/2002) and the BNDES, and current President of ETCO - Brazilian Institute of Ethical Competition, André Franco Montoro Filho, and the Superintendent of the Poupatempo Program (SP) from 1999 to 2006, Daniel Annemberg.