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Slaps on wrist for luxury spending
By Xinhuanet |
July 11, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE State Council issued a regulation on Monday banning government spending on luxury goods, services and ostentatious office buildings.
Moreover, it forbids embezzlement of public money for official banquets, cars and overseas junkets. Those who run afoul of the regulation risk being demoted, disciplined and fired.
There are already numerous directives prohibiting government extravagance. Still, some localities are spendthrift.
The latest rule has made penalties on offenders more specific, thus they could be of greater deterrence. It is an indicator of central authorities getting more serious about tackling lavish official spending.
However, although the rule has teeth, it has to be matched with strict enforcement. We should beware of the tendency in some locales to reduce punishment of officials caught splurging taxpayers' money for personal comforts.
Often we see the club raised high but falling too gently. Offenders receive only a slap on the wrist.
There is a bit of economic jargon called the "bucket effect," which means the capacity of a bucket is determined not by the piece of wood at the top, but by its shortest piece.
By the same token, when it comes to official procurement of vehicles and mansions, it is the most lenient, not the heaviest, punishment that matters.
Moreover, it forbids embezzlement of public money for official banquets, cars and overseas junkets. Those who run afoul of the regulation risk being demoted, disciplined and fired.
There are already numerous directives prohibiting government extravagance. Still, some localities are spendthrift.
The latest rule has made penalties on offenders more specific, thus they could be of greater deterrence. It is an indicator of central authorities getting more serious about tackling lavish official spending.
However, although the rule has teeth, it has to be matched with strict enforcement. We should beware of the tendency in some locales to reduce punishment of officials caught splurging taxpayers' money for personal comforts.
Often we see the club raised high but falling too gently. Offenders receive only a slap on the wrist.
There is a bit of economic jargon called the "bucket effect," which means the capacity of a bucket is determined not by the piece of wood at the top, but by its shortest piece.
By the same token, when it comes to official procurement of vehicles and mansions, it is the most lenient, not the heaviest, punishment that matters.
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