if the solution is one that could improve service
statewide, said Amy Tong, the state’s chief
information officer.
“It’s complementary in the sense that the
Department of Technology is still going to be
very much focusing on statewide technology
initiatives,” Tong said. “Digital innovation would
focus more on the front-end planning and
discovery work.”
Brian Metzker studied the proposal for the
nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office and said
the work the new office will do appears different
from other state programs. But he noted its
duties will evolve once a director is hired and the
office gets up and running.
“It will be important for lawmakers to keep an
eye on the office to make sure it’s not offering
competing or duplicative services as it gets to
work,” he said.
Fong, the Republican lawmaker, agreed
government needs an overhaul, even as he
questioned Newsom’s approach.
“Tech has changed for the better everything
in our daily lives, whether it’s from travel, from
booking services that we use in our daily
lives or buying groceries,” he said. But, “state
government has lagged behind because all they
do is create more red tape and bureaucracy.”
Beyond the director, Newsom will appoint 19
other employees who will be exempt from civil
service. Thirty others will be hired through the
normal government process.
Of the new office’s $26 million budget, $10
million would go into a fund it could tap to
complete its work. The budget in following years
would be $14 million.
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