Aloha

I hope you are well.

I just wanted to share a talk I gave a few weeks ago, when I was asked for my views on how to make government work again. Please let me know what you think.

Four Ways to Make Government Work Better

1) Keep our promises

You work hard and play by the rules, you keep your part of the bargain, and you expect government to do the same. This means schools that are open, funds that are managed properly, tax refunds given on time, and other obligations met. But right now, people feel like they can’t trust their government.

Government may have legal loopholes to break its agreements, but to the average citizen it’s the moral obligation that counts. And from a business standpoint, markets need stability, otherwise we will lose investors and our economy will shrink.

To fix this, we need to dig in and make tough decisions when necessary. And yes, we must promise less and deliver with more consistency.

In short, a much better batting average.

2) Improve services through technology.

In today’s world, most consumers of government services would much rather be online than in line. If state government were a private business, a newly hired CEO would be surprised at the lack of technology adaptation. There are some exceptions, but for the most part, our state government hasn’t invested enough in technology to serve people quickly and effectively. Improving technology will speed up workflow, track documents rapidly, improve overall service and ultimately contain costs.

3) Use APEC to relaunch Hawaii

President Obama’s selection of Hawaii as the location for the Asian Pacific Economic Council (APEC) meeting in 2011 was a victory for all of us. The opportunity to reposition Hawaii internationally cannot be overestimated. Consider the worldwide audience, the amount of intellectual capital, the political clout and stature that will come with President Obama hosting this conference in Hawaii. It’s a great chance to re-tell our story as a business destination – as an attractive place to invest – in hospitality, education, agriculture, technology, and energy. This is our moment to redefine ourselves in the global economy. Use it or lose it.

4) Work the Details

Here’s a reality that must be faced. Making government work means taking care of details. Your government needs to take care of them, to dig deep and do things right the first time. When we don’t, we pay.

Three examples: More than a billion dollars of the state’s money is locked up in a complicated and risky investment called Auction Rate Securities, and we won’t be able to see those dollars for decades unless we want to realize a 250 million dollar loss. And wherever you stood on the Superferry, the state lost millions of dollars because it consciously avoided doing an Environmental Impact Statement when it was obviously required. And sadly, the State Historic Preservation Division is struggling and may be defunded by the feds because it hasn’t done its job.

It’s about performance. Competence counts.

Together we can make government better, but we need your help. Please let me know what you think.