Another proposal recommends the establishment of minimum customer service standards for state agencies and their employees, to help ensure that Texans receive at least the same quality of service from their government that they expect from the private sector. Moreover, the state should establish a single toll-free telephone number to help Texans pinpoint and locate the government information they need without the frustration of multiple phone calls and transfers. To increase the taxpayers' return on state holdings, another measure would require state agencies that provide employees with free or subsidized housing to collect rents of up to 50 percent of the fair market value on these properties by 2002. More efficient management of these vehicle resources would cut maintenance costs, make fuller use of the present fleet, and reduce the state's need for additional vehicles. GSC also should develop plans to outsource fleet management tasks.
State government spends large sums each year on contracts to maintain and repair agency equipment.
These expenses can be reduced significantly through a two-fold strategy of purchasing equipment maintenance insurance and converting existing service warranty contracts to time and materials contracts. Improved software license management proposed in this report could reduce these costs by 10 percent or more.