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| Contact: Steve Jensen
860-524-7377
Steve.Jensen@ct.gov
|
October 23, 2013 |
STATE GOVERNMENT IS LEANER, MORE COST EFFECTIVE
Report Highlights Efforts To Streamline State Government
(HARTFORD, CT) - During a meeting with all state agency commissioners, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today released a
detailed report
compiled by the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) documenting efforts achieved by state employees during the past year that are making state government leaner and more cost-effective. Since taking office, Governor Malloy has charged all state agencies with transforming state government to make it more efficient, responsive and business-friendly - efforts that to date have saved over $2 billion in taxpayer dollars.
"We have continued to modernize state government, making it more efficient, environmentally-friendly and responsive to the business community," said Governor Malloy. "From energy retrofits to reducing permit processing time from months to days, this report offers a broad look at quantifiable savings over last year - demonstrating that we're doing a better job of serving tax payers."
The Report to the Governor: "Continuous Improvement in Connecticut State Government" highlights achievements made in: Restructuring State Government, Streamlining Services, and Energy and Technology Efficiency.
"We came into office with a commitment to reinvent state government and this report is the evidence that we are following through in very concrete ways," said Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman. "I am proud of the effort our state workers have made to achieve these efficiencies and I look forward to working with them to continue finding even more."
Initiatives from the 84-page report include:
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The Department of Revenue Services (DRS) has reduced over $400 million in long-term tax deficiencies with a risk-based tax collection policy that allows for earlier intervention with delinquent taxpayers. To date, this initiative has accounted for $36 million in additional revenue, over $186 million in collections from accounts receivable and a $20 million reduction in ongoing accounts receivable balance.
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The Department of Children and Families (DCF) reduced its operating budget by $30 million in FY 2012 after developing a Financial Reinvestment Strategy to accomplish significant goals. At the same time, the agency better serves families and children by reducing the percent of children in congregate care by 10.4 percent and increase the percent of children in kinship placements by 8.9 percent.
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The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is saving Connecticut taxpayers $1.84 million per year through reduced state energy bills as a result of energy retrofits. The "Lead by Example" program, established under Public Act 11-80, seeks to reduce energy use in state and municipal buildings through targeted energy equipment retrofits in state buildings.
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The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has reviewed, renegotiated or rebid statewide contracts for goods and services, resulting in a more than $18 million savings in FY 2013 alone. In particular, DAS negotiated a 6-year contract for DRS that resulted in a $9 million savings.
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The Department of Labor (DOL), in partnership with the Chief State's Attorney's Office, created the Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit, recovering over $400,000 in unemployment insurance overpayments and preventing about $100,000 weekly in fraudulent payments. The program has led to 18 arrests.
"We are proud of the changes described in this report, which represent dollar savings, fewer work hours, which allows employees to work on more things, and improved services for residents and businesses at no additional cost," said OPM Secretary Ben Barnes. "This report is a representative and diverse sample of changes in addition to those on which we reported last year."
In all, the report is comprised of 101 individual initiatives from 29 different state departments, including the University of Connecticut, UConn Health Center and the Governor's Nonprofit Liaison.
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