Issue Position: A Plan for Government Modernization Efficiency Through Innovation

Issue Position

We need to modernize, and where necessary, restructure government by streamlining services for Vermonters to improve their experience. As the state's disastrous and expensive experience with Vermont Health Connect has taught, we need to have far better project management protocols in place.

Today, you must go to three different departments to register a business; you cannot track state expenditures or reliably conduct most business with the state online; and no one can view all of the services for which they are eligible on a single website. Have you ever wondered why?

It's because our state government functions on outdated systems that no longer meet the everyday needs and expectations of twenty-first century citizens. These same systems make it very difficult for managers to identify waste, fraud or abuse and opportunities to eliminate redundancies and achieve lower costs. Worse, each year, the cost of administering these old systems including costly updates grows faster than the state economy.

Here is my plan for modernizing state government:

Create Government Modernization & Efficiency Team

On the first day I am Governor, I will sign an executive order creating the Government Modernization & Efficiency Team (GMET). GMET will be lead by the state's Chief Information Officer and include Vermont's leading IT, telecommunications, accounting, and management and system-change professionals. The responsibility of the team will be to implement agency efficiency audits, strengthen strategic IT planning, implement a digital government strategy focused on our citizens, and identify opportunities to:

Increase operational efficiency;
Consolidate, streamline and/or automate services;
Account for the true cost of IT projects;
Eliminate waste;
Prevent fraud and abuse; and
Establish clearly defined metrics that measure results and can be used in outcomes-based-budgeting process.

The team will establish its own work plan; have the access and authority of external auditors; and produce its recommendations on a rolling basis, with all final recommendations made on or before, July 1, 2017.

The Secretary of Administration will ensure the team has adequate staffing (without the creation of new paid positions), and it will report directly to me.

Implement Proven IT Project Management Protocols and Experienced Professionals

In reality, state government has managed IT projects very poorly. The state-run healthcare exchange and court records system are only two examples. The state is projected to spend over $125 -- $175 million annually for IT projects going forward.

My administration will ensure enterprise wide visibility into IT projects as well as governance over IT investments. We can not continue without coordination and prioritization of IT Projects and that's why I will not allow any project to proceed without CIO approval, evaluation of risk and mitigation strategies, a trained project manager with project stopping authority, and a cost benefit analysis. We cannot afford anymore IT project failures.

More importantly, we will employ experienced IT professionals, and wherever possible, contractors will be required to have performance-based contracts.

Set Clear, Measurable and Attainable Savings Goals Each Year

In addition to the limits we would impose on budget growth, our goal will be to reduce the current operational cost of every agency and department by one cent for every dollar currently spent, in my first year in office. This could generate as much as $55 million in savings.

My management team will work with state employees to make systems and procedures less costly by simplifying them and reducing red tape. For example, registering a business should not require contact with multiple departments. We'll also look for opportunities to reduce the size and cost of the state's vehicle fleet; lower energy costs; and scrub supply and procurement practices for opportunities for savings. All of these systems can benefit from greater efficiency through more effective use of IT systems.

I will report quarterly on the progress each agency and department is making on this effort until we reach our goal. I will also set new efficiency goals each year I am in office, because state government should constantly be rethinking its systems and improving them in ways that make them less costly and more productive.

Require a Citizen-Centric Management Culture

As Governor, I will guarantee that customer service -- citizen service -- is a priority. And I will hold my team accountable for delivering on that promise.

In order to grow the economy and make Vermont more affordable, state government must be more efficient and productive. To achieve this objective, the Phil Scott Administration will instate a change in management strategy and culture.

My appointees will be required to manage programs based on defined outcomes, not just available funding. I will support investing in programs that can demonstrate measurable results, and will reform or eliminate programs that fail to do so.

There is simply no acceptable reason why an elderly woman inquiring about a tax issue -- and this is real feedback I have received -- should receive a response on a post-it note, containing no explanation and no name of a state employee to follow up with. That is completely unacceptable. Likewise, there is no reason in this day and age why a little country store in small town Vermont has to be regulated by more than a half-dozen different agencies and departments of state government.

When a Vermonter contacts the Department of Taxes, Vermont Health Connect, the Agency of Natural Resources, or any other division, department or agency, with a question or concern about a specific issue their inquiry will not only be taken seriously, but that Vermonter will also understand that state government is there to serve them.

Empower Frontline State Employees with Focused Leadership that Listens

As Governor, I will appoint management officials who share my commitment to listening and learning from frontline staff and who possess demonstrated expertise in significant operational improvements. As noted above, I will also expect agencies and departments to continuously rethink and reform operations and logistics to make processes more efficient and productive. I will also simplify the process for rewarding state employees who find ways to make substantial financial savings.

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