Government reform

Our state government provides services that citizens and businesses depend on, from issuing driver's licenses and overseeing voter registration to operating public universities and maintaining state parks. Our state's quality of life and economic prospects are shaped largely by how well we serve the people who work and live here.

The recession that has plagued the United States has led to fewer state workers who serve more citizens when demand for services is high. These workers - who include correction officers, caseworkers and State Patrol officers - are meeting the challenge of doing more with less. The nature of state government is changing and Gov. Inslee is asking state workers and industry leaders to identify more ways we can modernize our government, cut costs and maintain a high quality of service to taxpayers.

Gov. Inslee's government reform priorities:

• Empower state employees to find efficiencies through greater use of Lean Management. Many of Washington's successful businesses such as Boeing, MacDonald-Miller, Group Health and Virginia Mason have used lean management strategies to reduce costs while improving customer service. Lean management is an approach that asks those who know best - our frontline employees - to identify strategies to help them serve the people of Washington more quickly and easily. These efficiencies will help us prevent additional cuts to essential services and programs.
• Improve the state procurement process. Gov. Inslee is doing what states such as Delaware, Florida, California and Virginia have done - establishing online procurement portals that give small businesses, women- and minority-owned businesses and the public more access to view state business opportunities, offer bids on state contracts and identify potential savings in current contracts.
• Streamline state government with a focus on growing private-sector jobs. Gov. Inslee's administration is focused on identifying how state government can remove barriers and support economic development efforts. He's directing all state agencies to identify ways to improve government-business interactions, including streamlining business and occupation tax collections and reforming regulatory and permitting processes.