New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez Wants to Move State’s IT Department

It is disheartening to see elected state executives undermining the role of technology in being able to help improve efficiencies and instead looking at IT as a cost which needs to be reduced. Perhaps a strong business case for why IT should be its own agency reporting directly into the state CEO hasn't been made strongly. Time and again, IT is being relegated to a "service" instead of the strategic role it can, and should, play in advancing the objectives of any organization - private or public. Consolidating IT is certainly a key strategic move that needs to be made across government, however deeming it as a "department" that should be bundled with other "General Services" does not do justice to the role that IT has. Top it off with decreased employee morale, and you'll have a real challenge on your hands. The only possible upside is that State CIO's probably won't be looking for a job every 4 years if it is no longer a governor appointed position.

What a concept removing a previous administrations bad decision that created a micromanagement of management. What an exceptional proposal merging the Department of Information Technology, State IT personnel and funding authority under the state’s General Services Department, plus merging homeland security, emergency management, tourism and cultural affairs. Consolidating and merging agencies to TRIM the current oversized government to REDUCE COSTS at a MANAGEMENT level. NO furloughs, NO nonmanagement staff reductions. The previous administration added additional management creating a micromanagement of management did it affect essential functions and services, ”YES" of course it did. All services and functions at the nonmanagement level faced fustrations and ongoing delays with the extra added routes needed on decision-making and final approvals. The last 8 years had the highest level of state fraud, over spending and corruption -- POSSIBLY too many chiefs in high levels with too many decision-making routes going undetected? Costs are reduced at a management level by utilizing the already existing management therefore initiating an effective, efficient agency functioning under a normalized management, not a mircomanagement of management that we see now.

The important question is whether or not IT performance will improve or not within the State of New Mexico. If performance is not measured and compared, one can't really say whether consolidation is a good move or not. I do know that communications between State agencies and the current Department of IT has been minimal since the new Governor took office. Will this change or get worse with the organizational change?

Good point Carly F IT Performance and Measurement honestly isn't that "why" there is management and/or a CIO which I believe currently exists. An IT department/agency requires an ongoing performance/measurement evaluation based on the states IT requirements. Examples: Internet:boardband activity inbound/outbound; Email; etc. etc. each interface of IT activity requires a high level of measurement otherwise how would you know if everything is running at an acceptable level. Wait for complaints to start coming in? Do you really think the Governor had NO discussions with each agency, CIO or mgmt regarding the merge. Think back how was the initial IT creation - 1 day anyone who did any type of IT work was being reclassified. No desk audit requirements on individual classifications. No initial planning just a Governor mandate that ignited SHARE which we know how "well that went". Your comment: "Communications between State agencies and the current Depart of IT has been minimal since the new Governor took office." Let's be truthful past communications between state agencies & current dept of IT" has never been at a high level -- I suppose mandatory mtgs illustrate 'communications'. Measure the success of all those meetings. Communications between state agencies & Dept of IT did not level off because of the new Governor. Did you ever think that now meetings aren't mandatory agencies just aren't interested in attending. Will organizational change make things better or worse with an? Honestly it probably won't change communications but it will get rid of micromanagement hangover and reduce cost. Strengthly the IT department will probably take time.

I’d really like to see the business case for doing this to include the savings and benefits that NM expects to realize 3 years from now? Then again, if there are immediate savings, than perhaps it is bloated.

When Governor Richardson took office, the State had an Office of the CIO which reported directy to the Governor; this office was responsible for State IT planning and policy. Governor Richardson moved the enterprise/shared IT services (data center, data network) organization out from under the General Services Department (GSD) to establish a new cabinet-level agency, the Department of IT. The Office of the CIO functions were merged into this new agency. So, if Governor Martinez is successful in undoing what Richardson did, the IT planning, policy and enterprise services will all operate as a Division within the GSD. How will the Governor formulate and implement new IT policy and strategies to serve the State? The GSD Secretary will have to effectively represent the initiatives of the State CIO (a division director) to the Governor and other members of the cabinet. I am not sure this places IT is a strong position within the State of New mexico.

I think you hit it right on the nose. We ARE TALKING about state government - CIOs originate from corporations. New Mexico as a state has always and will continue to successfully initiate policies and strategies to serve the state. Therefore GSD Secretary & Governor would be understandably very capable of initiating policies & strategies. What is proposed is to return back to a government that facilitates as a government and not a corporation suited by the direction of a CIO. But a government faclitating policies & strategies to serve the citizens of our state therefore that would include the services of IT.

Unfortunately, politicians of any brand will go, like lemmings, in the popular direction, and appearances sometimes trump results. Organizational design is a science. Organizations should be designed and developed around strategy, objectives, and processes that are needed to achieve them. Moving the blocks around and cutting some boxes out doesn't guarantee savings or effectiveness. But it looks good in the paper...and btw, when your IT people start leaving, you can feel comfort in the savings of not having to pay their salaries as your systems collapse.

I love Joe's insistence that government is not a corporation therefore it should not operate as one. Funny all I ever hear is how government should be run like a business. Oh wait, in this case it doesn't apply. Clearly this practice leads one to believe that we still don't have leaders who understand the impact of technology in all other areas of the public sector. Why anyone thinks IT should fall under the auspices of another department baffles me.