So what is a chief information officer anyway?
What a chief information officer would do under the proposed legislation:
A chief information officer would be appointed by the governor. The chief information officer’s salary will be between $130,000 and $160,000. The salary for the governor is $147,000. A chief information officer must be appointed by Jan. 1, 2010.
The chief information officer will oversee the information technology and telecommunications systems of all state agencies. In the first year on the job, the chief information officer must audit the state’s current technology system and make recommendations on how to modernize and streamline it. The plan must be presented to the governor, speaker of the house and president pro tempore of the Senate. The chief information officer must be able to prove technology measures have saved the state money within two years of being appointed.
Applicants for the chief information officer position must hold a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems, technology management, business administration, finance or some other related degree. A successful applicant should also have 10 years experience, including seven years of direct management of an information technology operation, according to the bill.
The chief information officer would also have the authority to hire private consultants to assess the state’s technology needs. The chief information officer would the purchasing director for all technology equipment and software for state agencies.
Forty-six other states have a similar position.
— Julie Bisbee, Capitol Bureau
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or follow this blog's RSS and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Requiring measures that show money saved within two years may tend push this person into short-sighted decisions. There are VERY good computing systems that cost more up-front, but have EXTREME payback over a longer time frame (not only financial payback, but returns in reliability & longevity). Many things that can be done to “save” money in a a few years, can actually harm the long term efficiency of government.