Gov. Gregoire orders agencies to cut administrative costs

For Immediate Release: November 4, 2011

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today issued a sweeping directive to cut costs and improve the way state agencies do business. The directive calls for reducing the number of cellular devices and the state�s vehicle fleet, as well as standardizing home assignment and personnel policies.

The directive issued today incorporates several suggestions from state employees to save taxpayer money.

�State employees and managers are taking steps every day to create a more efficient government,� Gregoire said. �With that said, we can always do more. We need to turn over every rock to find additional savings. Asking state employees to help identify efficiencies makes perfect sense, because they know state government inside and out. I can�t say yet how much these actions might save taxpayers but it�s worth a close look.�

While cell phones help state employees serve the public efficiently and effectively, many state employees believe the state could save money by reducing the number of cell phones and devices. In her directive, Gregoire calls for agencies to review cellular usage and subscription plans � and reduce cell phones where it makes business sense. She also directs agencies to identify cost-reduction goals and performance measures and report its progress to the Office of the Chief Information Officer by Feb. 2012.

Gregoire also directed the Department of Enterprise Services to reduce the number of cars in the state fleet by an additional 300 cars, for a total reduction of 500 vehicles, through consolidation efforts � and expand the pilot �key drop program,� which has demonstrated the fleet can be reduced through more efficient vehicle assignment. The directive also calls for more video or web conferencing to reduce the need for travel.

Additionally, Gregoire ordered agencies to tighten up procedures for employees who are placed on home assignment during an investigation of workplace issues, which often involves misconduct. The governor wants agencies to ensure home assignment is concluded as quickly as possible.

�Recently we have seen examples where we haven�t met those standards,� Gregoire said in the directive.

The directive also asks Eva Santos, the state�s human resource director, to bring consistency and accountability to personnel procedures that involve employee pay � such as premium pay for employees exempt from some overtime provisions, voluntary separation incentives and leave approval.

Earlier today, Gregoire sent a letter to all state employees that thanked them for their ideas and listed several suggested actions in addition to those in the directive that she would take to cut costs. Actions include:
� Extending from seven to 10 years the requirement for new automobile license plates;
� Eliminating the printing and distribution of state wall calendars;
� Using electronic travel vouchers whenever possible; and
� Increasing use of electronic communications, like email, for state personnel correspondence.