Protecting tax dollars

By Nathan Cooper

In 2005, I went to Jefferson City with an important goal in mind: to change how our state government operates through the elimination of waste, fraud and abuse.

With like-minded individuals, I have consistently worked to make government leaner and more efficient. Efficient government guarantees taxpayers the best return for their tax dollars.

The following is a report on some of the considerable progress that we have made in the last several years.

In 2005, I worked with the House Administration and Accounts Committee to privatize house printing. During each of the following two years, the House of Representatives immediately realized savings. Postage expense for bulk mailing was reduced by $95,000. The annual printing savings have totaled $50,000.

As expenses are reduced, annual savings continue to increase. In the next few years, changes made during contract renewals will result in an additional $100,000 in annual savings.

In 2006, I pushed for a plan to consolidate the state's mail services. Mailing services for several state agencies have been combined, eliminating the wasteful duplication of services.

These changes have been implemented through a phase-in process. More responsibility is progressively transferred to a consolidated mail unit, resulting in a better use of resources, more efficient operations and fewer employees. Phase I was completed this month. Already, full-time employees have been reduced from 30 to 24. Savings are expected to exceed $1 million.

We have also engaged in a plan to consolidate the state's printing services, which will bring an additional $1 million in annual savings.

Last year also marked the beginning of my statewide plan to consolidate facilities management under the oversight of the Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction. In the first phase, energy consumption and conservation in state facilities was addressed. I sponsored a series of 12 amendments to the fiscal year 2007 budget to consolidate energy usage for the state.

In a single year, the Office of Administration has saved $2 million in efficiencies, which was returned to general revenue. However, the savings will not end there. DFMDC intends to reduce energy consumption by an additional 15 percent by 2010.

Between fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2005, utility expenditures by the state had increased by 38 percent, with utility costs reaching $66 million.

ELECTRICITY NATURAL GAS

2005 $32,842,693 $18,678,496

2006 $24,000,000 $21,677,577

2007 $21,788,663 $17,868,286

As the result of an aggressive, innovative state energy conservation plan, energy use and costs have been significantly reduced. All of this occurred at a time when consumers saw a 20 percent rise in energy costs (an equivalent of $9.2 million to the state). Therefore, the total energy savings for the state was over $15 million. Additionally, the positive impact in relation to the environment has been invaluable. The energy savings alone in projects currently underway is the equivalent of removing hundreds of thousands of cars from the highways (hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide).

This year, the second phase of the consolidation -- building maintenance -- was placed in the governor's proposed budget and approved by the General Assembly. Responsibility for facilities management for over a dozen agencies has been consolidated under the DFMDC, allowing centralized management of space, building operations and utility bills. This session, the General Assembly also passed Senate Bill 322, which included an amendment I introduced.

The amendment changed the requirements for designing, constructing and managing state buildings. These changes will result in the savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from reduced advertising costs and reductions in overall project costs.

Likewise, my amendment to Senate Bill 462 in 2005 has additionally saved the state hundreds of thousands of dollars through efficiencies in how we manage our state assets.

Finally, I have taken advantage of the opportunity afforded me as vice chairman of the House Appropriations-General Administration Committee. In my position during each of the last years I have voted to eliminate waste and duplication. In total, the budgets voted out by the Appropriations-General Administration Committee have been reduced by $70 million.

In a time when we see the federal government and other state governments growing uncontrollably, I am proud to know that Missouri is striving to become more efficient and more accountable. The best leadership is leadership by example, and Missouri provides a model for cost savings and efficiency.

This same model can be employed throughout our state government. I will continue my efforts to promote responsible stewardship and ensure that the tax dollars entrusted to state government are used for the good of Missouri and the 158th District.

Nathan Cooper of Cape Girardeau represents the 158th District in the Missouri House of Representatives.