Public Hearings Announced

RICHMOND - The Commonwealth Competition Council, a new organization in Virginia's state government, announced today a series of four public hearings to be held around the Commonwealth to solicit input on privatization and competition opportunities within state government. The first will be in Richmond on Thursday, July 18, 1996, 7 p.m., at the ScienceMuseum of Virginia, 2500 West Broad Street.

The hearings are devoted to four specific questions, and the public is invited to offer its comments to the Council on:

1. What program, service, or initiative of state government should be better handled by the private sector? Why?

2. Is there a program, service or initiative state government is doing that could be done by the private sector: (a) in a more efficient manner (1)) at less cost to the taxpayer (c) that would improve the quality of service (d) or all, or a combination, of the above. If so, what is it?

3. For those services that must be provided by state government, what is your suggestion on how to make state government more internally efficient and effective?

4. What issues do you see concerning state government competition with the private sector?

A public hearing is scheduled for the Tidewater area on Monday, September 9, 1996. The Northern Virginia and Southwest Virginia public hearings will be in the fall. P 0. Box 1475. . Richmond Virginia 23212 (804) 786-0240 FAX (804) 786-1594

The independent 10-person Commonwealth Competition Council was created by the General Assembly as a part of the Virginia Government Competition Act of 1995, and is an outgrowth of recommendations of Governor George Allen's Commission on Government Reform. Finding better and less costly ways to provide efficient government services for Virginia's citizens is a principal goal of state government. Efforts are focused on reducing the size and scope of government activity, especially in areas where the services or products of government can best be provided by private sector organizations.

While the Council will recommend to the Governor and General Assembly alternative ways of providing traditional government services, Chairman Otis L. Brown states "...State government's ability to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens will not be diminished by any of the Council's recommendations." He further emphasized that the Council "...will suggest ways of minimizing any adverse impact of privatization upon state employees."

These public hearings are the first of a five-step process the bipartisan Council has adopted and will follow in making recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly. Anyone who cannot attend one of the public hearings is urged to submit written ideas directly to the Council.

All members of the Council are citizens of Virginia. In addition to Mr. Brown, members of the Council are State Senator Walter A. Stosch of Glen Allen, serving as Vice Chairman; State Delegate V. Earl Dickinson of Mineral, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee; John B. Adams, Jr., of The Plains; Theron J. Bell, Commissioner of the State's Department of Labor and Industry; Walter P. Conrad, Jr., of Hampton; Hudnall R. Croasdale, Director of the State's Council on Information Management; Douglas W. Domenech of Purcellville; Michael E. Thomas, Secretary of Administration for Virginia's state government; and Shirley J. Ybarra, Deputy Secretary of Transportation for Virginia.