Reform II: Commerce, Information Services

The governor also announced plans Dec. 3 to reform certain functions involving the Department of Commerce and Department of Information Services.

The recommendations for Commerce include a list of proposed priorities, program consolidation and transfer of duties (mostly from Commerce to other agencies). For instance, emergency food assistance would move to DSHS, Agriculture and General Administration. Several housing programs would move to DSHS. Forensics sciences improvement would shift to the Washington State Patrol and the State Building Code Council would go to Labor and Industries.

Information Services would take over e-mail and server management for all agencies.

And 17 boards and commissions, most advisory boards for state prisons, would be eliminated.

But we have to be vigilant. Whenever there's talk of consolidation, the possibility of contracting out raises its ugly head.

The Commerce recommendations call for "increasing private community partnerships."

So there's a lot to watch out for in terms of safeguarding jobs and quality services.

Read the Commerce report here.