Contact Information

  • Jerry Gilliland, Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gregoire orders cutting of 1,000 state government middle managers, purchasing efficiencies and abolishment of programs

For Immediate Release: March 16, 2005

Gov. Christine Gregoire today announced a �change in the culture of state government,� including eliminating 1,000 middle-management positions, applying bulk-buying requirements for state agencies and cutting a number of government programs.

�We must change the culture of state government,� Gov. Gregoire said. �We must reduce bloated management, cut reckless spending and eliminate programs that don�t work.�

�The culture change starts today,� she said, noting that she will include in her proposed 2005-2007 biennium budget elimination of 1,000 middle-management positions. These cuts would save the state $50 million.

�Between 1998 and 2004, the number of non-management jobs in state government rose by 3.6 percent, while middle management positions grew by 42.1 percent,� Gov. Gregoire said.

She also noted that employment at the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) recently has declined by 4 percent. But despite having fewer workers, DSHS has 240 more middle managers.

�We can no longer cut service providers and hire more managers,� she said. �We have too many people pushing paper. Instead of pushing paper, we need to push people out of management and into delivery of real services to real people.�

Gov. Gregoire also announced that she is moving to streamline purchasing by state agencies. �We have been spending too much on our purchases and too much on storing our goods and it has to stop. We have to change a culture that spends money on sloppy buying rather than giving our kids the tools to be successful. Our new SmartBuying program will save the state $50 million in the next biennium and hundreds of millions over future years.�

Gov. Gregoire also is ordering her cabinet to eliminate unnecessary programs. �My directors will stop spending money on programs that don�t work just because that�s the way we�ve always done it,� she said. �That means special interests may not be happy � but I work for the people of this state, not special interests.� She noted, for instance, that her proposed budget will cut:

  • $20 million out of the WorkFirst Program �by eliminating the parts of the program that are not effective � but at the same time we�re keeping the parts that are working. These are the parts that are intended to help people on welfare find a job. That way we are targeting employment assistance only to those in real need.�

  • State Film Office, almost $1 million. �Hollywood doesn�t need a subsidy from state government. Movies or TV commercials are shot in Washington because of desireable scenery, not the film office.�

�These cuts are just the beginning,� she said. �Our Government Management Accountability and Performance Program � GMAP � will help us determine where additional savings can be found.�

�We need to prove to people that the programs they pay for are working, and, if they aren�t, we need to make them work or eliminate them. I am blowing past the bureaucracy and moving full steam ahead.�

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