Ex-official blamed for privitization problems is hired to fix them

[sonias]

AAS 3/14/10
Ex-official blamed for privitization problems is hired to fix them
Gregg Phillips was the state's second-ranking social services official.

A former state official blamed for much of Texas' biggest privatization failures is now a well-paid consultant helping the state work to eliminate the problems the privatization effort caused, according to a published report.

Gregg Phillips, the state's former second-ranking social services official, now heads Austin-based AutoGov Inc., which was hired without the soliciting of bids from other companies, The Dallas Morning News reported Sunday. The company has received $207,500 since November to help the state's food stamp program eliminate errors in the applicant screening process, according to the newspaper.

(snip)

"The whole thing smells very bad. We're now hiring the guy who got us in the mess in the first place. It is absolutely stunning," Gross said.

File this under News of the Stupid Moves. :banghead:

Goodhair Perry obviously doesn't have a problem wasting money - not when the public dollars make their way back into his campaign coffers. I just bet ya that AutoGov Inc or Phillips is contributing money to Perry.
:grr:

Sonia

[sonias]

1. The Dallas Morning News story

Dallas Morning news 3/14/10
Exclusive: State privatization champion gets contract to help clear up welfare mess

(snip)
Health and Human Services Commission spokeswoman Stephanie Goodman said that the agency's commissioner, Tom Suehs, and his predecessor, Albert Hawkins, agreed that the company's software might alleviate the problem.

"They both faced the same problem – high error rates – and thought it offered a potential solution," Goodman said.

State laws on former employees lobbying or contracting with agencies would not prohibit such an arrangement, given that Phillips had been off the state's payroll for several years. But critics of the deal say it's troubling that a former employee is getting paid to try to fix problems spawned by an idea he helped hatch.

A leader of a state employees union complained that Hawkins and Suehs – both appointees of Gov. Rick Perry – again have sought high-tech, low-cost fixes for the loss of experienced state workers.

Privatization = fail = Perry's failed leadership!
(plus add the crony corruption)

[mbperrin]

2. Dammit! And there's still NO huntin' season on either state officials

or their ass-sniffin' shills!

Why not? Is Perry a Communist and Agin Huntin' Like We Want To?

[sonias]

3. They did pass a bill to kill feral hogs by helicopter

We called it the "Swiney Die" bill (a pun on Sine Die)

I honestly think that some of our legislators themselves could be considered feral hogs, don't you?. :evilgrin:

legal Definition
SINE DIE
Lat. The final adjournment of a legislative session, without adjourning to a specific time or date; Adjournment without definitely fixing a day for reconvening; literally "adjournment without a day." Usually used to connote the final adjournment of a session of Congress or State Legislature.

[mbperrin]

5. Hmmmm....I think you may be right!

Wonder where I can get a chopper?

[tanyev]

4. GOP SOP.

Get elected.
Screw things up.
Resign to take highly lucrative job in private sector to clean up the mess you made.
Bill the government for as much as you can, while doing nothing to clean up the mess, or even making it worse.
When Democrats eventually catch up to you and terminate the contract, rage loud and long about Democratic incompetence and wasteful spending.

Repeat ad nauseam.