QUESTIONS FOR NOMINEE AS SECRETARY OF THE OFFICE OF POLICY AND MANAGEMENT

• The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) consists of seven divisions including the Office of the Secretary, Budget and Financial Management, Office of Labor Relations, and Policy Development and Planning.

• Either house of the General Assembly confirms the secretary, who serves at the pleasure of the governor with a term ending March 1 following the next gubernatorial election.

• The secretary is responsible for all aspects of state staff planning and analysis for budgeting, management, energy policy, intergovernmental policy, criminal and juvenile justice, and program evaluation; maintaining financial records, examining agencies to determine their effectiveness, and recommending ways to improve state agencies; and serving as the employer representative in collective bargaining between the state and most state employee unions.

1. OPM serves as an extension of the governor's personal staff, providing her with assistance in the areas of budget and management, coordinated policy planning and development, and intergovernmental relations. Do you believe OPM's role in state government should be expanded, reduced, or maintained at its current level?

2. One of OPM's main goals is to identify emerging state needs and develop strategic plans in response to those needs. As the governor enters her first full term, what are the top issues on which you are recommending she concentrate from a policy perspective?

3. What are your agency's legislative priorities this session and why?

4. How do the various divisions interact with one another and with the secretary's office? Do you believe the agency's current structure allows it to be as efficient and effective as possible?

5. Are there difficulties managing an agency where some employees have confidential or managerial classifications and some work under other classifications?

6. What are the respective roles for the state treasurer and the OPM secretary in dealing with the Bond Commission and bond rating agencies?

7. Do you expect any changes in the Bond Commission process to allow more legislative input and earlier access to agendas for commission meetings?

8. Do you plan any changes in the way OPM formulates and presents the governor's budget, either for this year or in the future?

9. HB 5995, currently before the Government Administration and Elections Committee, requires OPM to study the effect that changing the state's pay cycle from 30 to 15 days for construction payments to municipalities and other entities has had. Did changing the pay cycle produce beneficial results?

10. HB 6162, currently before the Commerce Committee, authorizes the State Bond Commission to issue $ 30 million in bonds for each year of the 2007-2008 biennium to fund the Small Town Economic Assistance Program. Do you support this bill?


February 20, 2007		2007-R-0139
QUESTIONS FOR NOMINEE AS SECRETARY OF THE OFFICE OF POLICY AND MANAGEMENT

By: Kristin Sullivan, Associate Analyst