SALT LAKE CITY – In a bit of self-congratulatory praise, Gov. Spencer Cox has hailed the recent accomplishments of his Government Reform, Innovation & Transparency (GRIT) initiative.
In slightly more than a month that the program has been operating, the governor says that GRIT has pushed Utah government agencies to work more efficiently and deliver measurable results for our state.
Surpassing the $1 million mark in cost optimization, Cox boasted that state agencies have completed 17 internal projects, two customer service improvements and have implemented 15 major efficiency improvements previously identified by Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and Legislative Fiscal Analyst’s office.
More efficiency projects are underway, with what Cox promised would be “additional savings” for the state.
The statewide efficiency initiative — dubbed GRIT – was announced on May 9 when Cox signed an executive order calling on every state agency to evaluate how government works and how it can be made to work better.
The governor’s announcement of the GRIT initiative came at a time when the efficiency of Utah’s government and planning efforts had already drawn praise from outside observers.
For example, Utah was recently named as the Best State in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for the third consecutive year, based on its fiscal stability, strong budgeting efforts, long-term planning, exceptional services and overall quality of life.
But Cox expects all state employees to join him in providing even greater transparency, innovation and problem-solving.
“We’re not here to maintain the status quo,” he argues. “We’re here to make things better.”
While Cox’s announcement of GRIT accomplishments on Aug. 16 included few details, the governor stated that the cost savings statewide since the efficiency initiative was launched is estimated at $1,071,480.
Cox’s May 9 executive order empowers cabinet members and state employees to identify inefficiencies and fix them, while giving Utah’s citizens more opportunities than ever to share feedback on their interactions with government.
“Utahns deserve a government that listens, adapts and delivers,” according to Cox. “GRIT is about building a culture where every employee is empowered to solve problems and every taxpayer sees the results.”