Florida TaxWatch, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog headquartered in Tallahassee, has reiterated its support for a centralized state information technology (IT) agency in a briefing released Wednesday.
Florida is one of the few major states without a state chief information officer or similar position. The current system decentralizes the management of help desks, email, and data centers; software installation; hardware replacements; and repairs.
"[The current] fragmented system leads to the inefficient use of millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars annually," said Dominic M. Calabro, president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch. "It is encouraging that both chambers [of the Legislature] have taken this issue up this session, as Florida cannot wait any longer to implement these necessary changes."
SB 1762 ("State Technology") is making its way through the Senate, sponsored by theAppropriations and Governmental Oversight and Accountability committees. A House companion is being drafted by that chamber'sAppropriations Committee.
The briefing concludes that a centralized IT agency with the appropriate policy and implementation authority "would produce taxpayer cost savings while improving services to citizens by standardizing processes across all agencies (therefore removingduplication), increasing accountability, and allowing for better purchasing through economies of scale."
"Florida has been trying for years to create an effective IT governance system, but those efforts have ultimately been unsuccessful" said Kurt Wenner, VP of tax research. "The Legislature must ensure that a new IT agency has the broad authority to not only set policy, but to implement it as well."
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
