Late last week, legislative Republicans seized on what they believed to be the very symbol of Democratic budget cutting duplicity. The Democratic version of the supplemental budget, which closes a $190 million revenue gap, eliminates the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, or OPEGA. OPEGA was created to find waste, inefficiency and fraud in state spending, so in a season in which government slashing is a top priority, it seems odd that Democrats would put this knife in the drawer.

Republicans like Rep. David Trahan of Waldoboro, who worked to create OPEGA, said the Democrats used the need to cut the budget as a pretext to neuter a force they didn’t like. Sen. Kevin Raye, R-Perry, said in a statement sent to newspapers: “At a time when we are struggling with budget shortfalls, it is more important than ever that we do everything we can to find savings and cost efficiencies in state government. It is mind-boggling to even consider eliminating the one entity with that core mission.”

Democrats counter that OPEGA was not cut, but instead was rolled into the existing Office of Fiscal and Policy Review, another example of the trend of consolidating government activities which holds sway in the State House. Senate Majority Leader Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro, said Monday, “We’re not eliminating oversight.” But given the severe cuts made to social programs that will affect poor, elderly and disabled residents, the move to reconfigure OPEGA – essentially an internal bureaucratic belt-tightening – seemed appropriate, especially when it saves $1.1 million. “It’s called shared sacrifice,” she said.

OPEGA’s auditing functions were duplicative, Sen. Mitchell said, because the state has its own auditor, and by merging OPEGA with the Office of Fiscal and Policy Review and two other budget analysis offices, OPEGA’s seven staff members will be reduced to two. Furthermore, the argument that OPEGA would “pay for itself” by identifying cuts has failed to become a reality.

Sen. Mitchell said with the consolidation of OPEGA, the legislative committee that now oversees that office will become a joint standing committee with more stature and clout. Its recommendations on spending restraint will carry more weight in coming legislative sessions, she predicted.

Symbols are effective weapons in political duels, and Republicans have found a durable symbol in defending OPEGA. But to go a little deeper and get at the heart of the matter, the real problem is not identifying inefficiencies, duplications and waste. It’s finding the political will to actually cut state functions that have limited return, or reach beyond the realistic scope of Maine government.

Sen. Mitchell’s vision of the new committee that will oversee the combined budget analysis offices suggests it could become a powerful partner with the Appropriations Committee, providing budget writers with information that would allow them to separate the wheat from the chaff. If that vision can become a reality, more power to the Democrats, but it’s hard to not be skeptical about such ideas. The independent, non-partisan nature of OPEGA may have provided legislators cover to make cuts. But if there ever were a moment in time they don’t need political cover, it is now.