Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 30, 2001
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Washington leads nation in management of state government

OLYMPIA - Washington state again ranks top in the nation for management of state government, according to the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and Governing magazine.

Washington tied with two other states for the highest overall grade for management, earning an A-minus.

The findings are reported in the February issue of Governing magazine. The last time the government-performance project rated state governments two years ago, Washington was among four states receiving the highest grade.

"This shows that this administration is relentless in its drive to ensure taxpayer dollars are invested wisely," Gov. Gary Locke said about Washington's standing in the state government ratings. "The way we excel in management maximizes our ability to use government resources to improve the lives of Washington citizens. Our continuing goal is to score an A in this biennial management review."

Washington earned an overall ranking of A-minus along with Utah and Michigan. No state earned an A rating this year, or the last time the management ratings came out in 1999.

The study said despite state spending limits and difficult budgeting, Washington's financial management "continues to be excellent, with top-notch financial reporting and good investment practices."

Washington scored highest for information technology, earning an A in this category.

"Washington is so good at so many things in this field that it sometimes seems to be playing in a different league from the other 49 states," the study also said. "…Strategic planning has been top-drawer and it is getting better."

The state also won high praise in the category of human resources, for placing a high priority on training and accelerated workforce planning efforts.

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Related Links:
- Maxwell School of Syracuse University Government Performance Project
- State Grade Report 2001 - Management Matters and Performance Counts
- News Advisory: How Well Are Our States Running Now?
- Governing Magazine
- Grading the States 2001 - A Management Report Card
- The Washington Report Card
- State Grades Then and Now - 1999 and 2001

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