Gov. Perdue Formally Submits Consolidation Plan to General Assembly
Gov. Bev Perdue today signed Executive Order #85 which officially presents her government reorganization plan to the North Carolina General Assembly.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Gov. Bev Perdue today signed Executive Order #85 which officially presents her government reorganization plan to the North Carolina General Assembly.
The plan, first announced in December, groups similar state functions, services and work, and consolidates 13 state agencies into eight. It eliminates hundreds of positions and streamlines services for citizens, creating real cost savings in the hundreds of millions over the coming years.
By formally presenting the plan to the General Assembly by executive order, the governor asks legislators to either adopt her plan before they adjourn in 2012 or work with her to make changes.
“I am determined to set government straight for the people of North Carolina, and to save taxpayer dollars in the process,” said Gov. Perdue. “I’ve told the legislative leadership I consider this phase one of a broader reorganization, and I am willing to work with them to create a new state government that is leaner, more efficient and more able to withstand the trials of a global economic recession.”
If the Legislature takes no action, the Governor’s Executive Order will become law at the end of the legislative session in 2012. The consolidation is already reflected in the governor’s budget.
Among the provisions of the Executive Order are plans to consolidate the three agencies responsible for public safety into one; bring Commerce and the Employment Security Commission into one centrally run cabinet agency; and consolidate and centralize internal government service functions by bringing the Office of State Personnel and Information Technology Services within the Department of Management and administration.
The plan will also consolidate and reduce support functions such as public affairs, personnel, purchasing, finance, planning and accounting.
The only change to the governor’s original plan is a provision to leave the Office of State Controller as a free-standing, fully independent office. This will better protect the state’s AAA bond rating, as an independent controller is a key consideration for bond rating agencies when they review a state’s finances.
“Consolidating, reorganizing and shrinking state government is no different than what families and businesses across this state have done to do to meet their own needs,” the governor said. “Those families and businesses are doing more with less by cutting out non-essential items, working harder and working smarter. They have reduced their needs – not because they wanted to – but because they had to. State government must do the same.”
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