Real Property in the Public Eye

The taxpayer advocacy group Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has taken the federal government to task over what it considers to be insufficient effort in complying with real property asset management requirements.

In an October 4 commentary on the CAGW website titled "Federal Government Must Liquidate Surplus Property," CAGW President Tom Schatz called the current level of compliance with Executive Order 13327 "a staggering blow to taxpayers." Schatz cited estimates that "the federal government may be spending $1 billion or more per year to maintain needless buildings."

Schatz laid blame for this alleged lack of progress on inadequate budgetary appropriations for the compliance effort. "With no budget appropriations for its execution and no financial incentive for agencies to consolidate their real property assets, EO 13327 is languishing," Schatz wrote. He added that "many agency executives (are) seemingly satisfied to bide their time, hoping the whole issue becomes lost in the bureaucratic shuffle."

The CAGW commentary goes on to cite pending legislative actions as signs of a change for the better. "House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) introduced legislation to establish a five-year pilot plan allowing agencies to receive a percentage of the fair market value of disposed assets." CAGW's Schatz wrote. He also noted that "Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management Chairman Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has scheduled a hearing on federal real property, with the intent of introducing reform legislation."

The future of the legislation is unknown, however, now that mid-term elections are changing the complexion of Congressional committees. In an October 18 Federal Times article, reporter Aimee Curl noted, "Chances are dismal for it to be heard on the House floor this year." Curl was reporting on a Congressional staff member's comments to attendees of the Federal Real Property Association conference, held in Washington, DC in mid-October.

According to Curl, the staffer told attendees that "negotiations on the fine points of the legislation won't be resolved when lawmakers return after the November election for a lame-duck session."

Curl also cited comments from committee staff director David Marin, who was more hopeful. Davis, the committee chairman, is considering attaching the bill to other legislation, according to Curl's interview with Marin.

From CAGW's perspective, legislative support for the real property initiative cannot happen soon enough. "Liquidating excess property is a common sense action that has no impact on the ability of agencies to carry out their mission," said Schatz in his commentary. "In fact, it can enhance the ability of the government to deliver services by lowering the government's bills and freeing up valuable assets for private investment.

"Among the numerous examples of government waste, surplus inventory land and buildings seems to be one of the easiest to address, with the greatest possible return on taxpayer dollars for the effort," Schatz concluded.

For the complete CAGW commentary, visit the CAGW website.

For the Federal Times article on pending real property legislation, visit http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=2300852.