Gov. Bill Ritter on Wednesday launched his government-efficiency review program, signing a bill that provides $700,000 to hire Public Works LLC, a consulting firm based in Philadelphia.
Ritter said the effort will not be a line-by-line review of state spending but rather will focus on outcomes generated by state departments.
For example, Ritter said, he wants to look not at “outputs,” like the number of prison beds the state has, but at how to improve “outcomes,” like reducing the return rate of released prisoners.
Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, said the review is the culmination of a process the Joint Budget Committee started two years ago when it began pressing state agencies to provide better information about how they measure their success in serving the public.
“This bill is the real step toward real efficiency,” Buescher said.
George Orlowsky, research coordinator for the State Archives, gave Ritter’s consultant a head start by presenting the governor with 1,000 “idea cards” filled out by state workers who suggested ways to save money or make government more efficient.
“Probably one of the suggestions is to use fewer pens,” Ritter quipped as he used three pens to sign the bill into law.
