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Governor Markell makes a good move: eliminating the Department of Finance

As first reported (at least the first time I saw it while traveling this week) at Delawareliberal, Governor Jack Markell has made the decision to eliminate the Department of Finance and consolidate necessary functions among other government offices.

This is a good move, a good sign, and a follow-through on a campaign promise that was badly needed to restore confidence following the ham-handed attempt at non-surgical salary cuts for all State employees.

I'm hoping that he will eventually get around to looking at the elimination of Homeland Security, folding its major functions into the State Police headquarters, but today I'm just happy to note that--unlike a lot of other politicians of both parties--Jack Markell seems to be trying to keep his commitments.
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Anonymous said…
I'll post this anon, but in the interest of full disclosure, I work for DSHS. I think a case could be made that having a non-State Police entity in charge of the State Police isn't necessarily a bad thing. DSP has a pretty poor track record of lawsuits, etc against them in the past and it's possible that that situation could get worse if they (DSP) have no on but the governor to answer to.
But then again, I fully expect to be working for the Dept of the Technologically Inept (DTI) by this time next year :)
July 6, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Anonymous said…
oops, he "eliminated" the Finance Department but kept all the people... and promoted Nancy Cooks son.

it's all pretend. it's "change" without a difference!
July 6, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Anonymous said…
"...I'm just happy to note that--unlike a lot of other politicians of both parties--Jack Markell seems to be trying to keep his commitments."

There is a punchline to this, right?
July 7, 2009 at 12:32 AM
Nancy Willing said…
Interesting commentary from the trenches, so to speak. Is DTI really that bad? Because it has gotten a front row seat in the analysis process

DTI and OMB were the constants in the teams that were developed in January for the Delaware Government Performance Review process. (see pdf at DE Way)
July 7, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Anonymous said…
look at Me!!!
I'm moving the deck chairs!

Hope, Change and Profiles in Courage all rolled into one!

J. Markel
July 7, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Anonymous said…
"Is DTI really that bad?"

Yes, too many chiefs. But they do have a difficult job. And they have some good people working for them. Let's see what Sills brings to the table

OMB= Office of Many Boneheads

(I used to work for them too) :)
July 7, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Nancy Willing said…
Chris Coons also made a big stink over how he reduced a department and then went ahead to simply place the people under another department - so Community Services now also controls Community Governing.

Can't wait to see how staffers are just shuffled under this edict.

We do know that it was Finance where two legislative nepotist hires were directly responsible for the stolen money. Lofink and Henry (who never even got a slap on the wrist did he?).

Maybe this move has as much to do with improved oversight as anything else.

It's the Delaware Way never to embarass the 'right' people. Natch. So go through the backdoor.
July 8, 2009 at 11:02 AM
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