Sine Die 2009

Better Government

When times get tough economically and budget cuts occur, it’s normal for people to wonder if the state is operating as efficiently as it can. Fortunately, Washington is among the best-managed states in the nation.

According to the Pew Research Center for the States, we’re number one overall. But we know we can always do better. This session we improved the ways we deliver state services. The innovations cut across policy areas, including education, public safety and health.

To give teachers more time to educate the workers of tomorrow, we eliminated a number of state mandates placed on school districts. (SB 5889) This is consistent with a much broader effort to reform basic education in the state.

To give parents more information about their kids’ progress in the classroom, we are creating an online data system that includes information about each child’s teacher, courses, grades, test scores and assignments. (SB 5410)

To streamline health care delivery, we are requiring providers and payers to use a standardized administrative process, the cost of which currently eats up to one third of each health care dollar. (SB 5346)

To use public safety dollars more efficiently, we will allow prosecutors to put non-violent traffic cases into a payment plan. This would free up the courts to take more time on more serious and violent cases such as domestic violence.

To improve business administration, we are streamlining tax filing (SB 5571), reducing paperwork fines (SB 5042) and providing regulatory assistance (HB 1730/SB 5748).

To improve our care of vulnerable children, we are restructuring child welfare services. We will increase the work done by private agencies while enhancing child safety through a greater focus on initial safety investigations by the state.

 

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