Former Utahn Named Public Official of the Year
by Bryan Schott
10/25/2012 | 483 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Former Utah Budget Director John Nixon has been named one of Governing Magazine's Public Officials of the Year.

Nixon, who now is the Director of the Department of Technology, Management and Budget for Michigan, earned the honor for helping to rebalance the state's budget and craft a tax reform package.

From Public CIO:

In Michigan, Nixon heads an agency that oversees financial and technology functions across the state — a role that's let him make a significant impact on how the state views technology spending. For instance, Nixon closed a $1.5 billion budget deficit during his first year on the job in 2011, but he still found funds to promote small, high-impact technology projects.

In 2012, Nixon locked an extra $47 million into the annual state budget for technology projects. That funding will continue for five years, pumping close to a quarter billion dollars into new IT infrastructure for the state. In addition to new IT spending, Nixon has forged a particularly effective partnership with state CIO David Behen, and he enjoys strong support from Snyder, a former Gateway executive who branded himself "one tough nerd" during the gubernatorial election.

Earlier this month, Michigan earned one of only two "A" grades awarded in the Center for Digital Government's Digital States Survey. And the state's combination of smart management and tech savvy will continue to make Michigan a force to be reckoned with over the next several years.
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Ten Things You Need to Know for Friday
by Bryan Schott
May 24, 2013 | 21724 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Countdown: There are 166 days to the 2013 municipal elections, 249 days until the start of the 2014 Legislature, 525 days until the 2014 midterm elections and 962 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. 

An analysis says expanding Medicaid coverage will save Utah more than $130 million and would give health insurance to 123,000 residents [Tribune].

A new report ranks Utah #1 for economic outlook next year [Utah Policy, Tribune].

House Majority Leader Brad Dee goes on a European vacation with three lobbyists, but Dee insists the trip was above board because everybody paid their own way and they didn’t discuss politics [Tribune].

Former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is caught on tape offering to get $2 million for Utah Businessman Darl McBride if he would shut down a website critical of another Utah businessman. That money was to come from a third Utah businessman who was in trouble with the Attorney General’s office [Tribune].

Former Legislator and current blogger Holly Richardson says she’s had enough with the “culture of corruption” permeating the Attorney General’s office [Holly on the Hill].

Sen. Orrin Hatch wants to hear from Utahns who think they have been inappropriately targeted by the IRS as part of his investigation into misconduct by the agency [Tribune].

Kennecott lays off 100 workers because of the massive landslide at their Bingham Canyon Mine [Tribune, Deseret News].

The Boy Scouts vote to allow gay members in their ranks [Deseret News].

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman launches a new political action committee to support Republicans who share his point of view [Tribune].

Gov. Gary Herbert says he is confident the state can work out a deal to avoid taxing the electricity used by the new National Security Agency data center at Camp Williams [Tribune].
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