From: John Kitzhaber

Sent: Fri Jan 21 20:19:08 2011

To: 'Cylvia Hayes'

Subject: FW: Executive & Legislative Working Together for Oregon -- Innovation Work Groups

Importance: Normal

Attachments: image001.gif; image002.jpg; image003.jpg;

Bingo

From: Rep Richardson [mailto:richardson.rep@state.or.us]

Sent: Friday, January 21, 2011 3:17 PM

To: Rep Buckley; Sen Courtney; Sen Devlin; Rep Hanna; Rep Roblan

Cc: Wilhelms Angela; Adamson Jessica; Rocco Ken G; Bentley Phil; robinhold@en-rm.com

Subject: Executive & Legislative Working Together for Oregon -- Innovation Work Groups

Yesterday’s meetings, both with Dr. Duy and with the Governor’s Transition Teams were very enlightening. Thanks to all who helped facilitate them.

As a follow up on the Transition Team presentations, it was good to get a clear idea of the Governor’s suggested path for approaching the reforms needed to improve service delivery in our “decade of deficits.” Some of the transition team ideas were bold and others were less so.

Either way, the legislature must step forward and either partner with the work started by the Governor’s teams or initiate our own path for policy reform.

Since the Governor has graciously sought to inform the legislature of the efforts and ideas of his Transition Teams, and since their work would be a logical starting point for the legislature, this letter is to consider further yesterday’s suggestion of having the Exec. and Legislative Branches join forces. We could benefit from the Transition Team leaders’ knowledge, momentum and efforts by creating a Joint Executive and Legislative “Innovation Work Group,” for each of the transition teams.

If the right legislators were joined with the relevant transition team leaders, Work Group ideas found worthy of further inquiry could then become part of the Session’s policy agenda.

To avoid wasting valuable time, each of these work groups could be established on February 1^st and include the two transition team leaders, plus the subject-related House Policy Co-Chairs and W&M Sub-comm. Co-Chairs and their Senate counter-parts. Thus, each Innovation Work Group would have eight members, six legislators and the two transition team leaders. Each work group could be assisted by the LFO analyst whose duties include the work group’s subject matter.

If this configuration makes sense, with the nod from the Co-Speakers and Sen. Pres., it can be organized without difficulty and would cause no delays in the work of the Co-Chairs.

Dennis Richardson