Think New Mexico, the well-known Santa Fe public policy think tank, is tackling the issue of economic development, yet another of New Mexico\u2019s perpetual weak spots.\u00a0 One recommendation is that the state should develop a single online portal for all business taxes, licenses and registrations, as an essential step in economic development and economic competitiveness.<\/p>\n
Oh, that again. The mythical One-Stop Shop.<\/p>\n
This has been batted around before, but not accomplished.\u00a0 However, Think New Mexico is pretty good at getting its proposals enacted.\u00a0 So let\u2019s take it seriously and consider what would be necessary to do it right. \u00a0This is a particularly touchy subject at the moment, because of the embarrassing problems of Affordable Care Act website.<\/p>\n
During my years in state government, I observed repeatedly that New Mexico state agencies are generally terrible at communicating with business. Really. Terrible.\u00a0 They also are usually lousy at communicating with each other.\u00a0 So agencies don\u2019t know what other agencies do or how they affect the businesses they regulate, in part because employees aren\u2019t trained on these issues, in part because many top managers don\u2019t understand the need.<\/p>\n
I advocated (without success) for an interagency council, to be composed of middle to high-level state agency employees, that could explore ways to simplify regulatory processes, for the public\u2019s benefit as well as their own.\u00a0 A working group like that would be an essential first step in developing a multi-agency portal.<\/p>\n
Active participation by business people, from the beginning, is necessary.\u00a0 They must be invited to participate in every meeting, to read all the memos and to have approval rights for every decision.\u00a0 Without their participation it’s difficult to imagine the state getting it right. The business participants should not necessarily be owners but should be those who have experience struggling with the paperwork or its electronic equivalent, including a heavy presence of bookkeepers and accountants.<\/p>\n
I wrote a column in 2011 about a little commission called the Small Business Regulatory Advisory Commission, created by legislation several years ago and dead shortly after it started, because it was structured to be ineffective.\u00a0 A commission like this, appropriately restructured, would be exactly what\u2019s needed to ensure that a portal was business-friendly and easy to use.<\/p>\n
A consultant would be needed as coordinator and technical expert.\u00a0 But the consultant should not be relied upon for the regulatory nuances. The agencies and the business community are necessary for that.<\/p>\n
The project would present a one-time opportunity to make substantive improvements in the regulatory processes themselves.<\/p>\n
It might be a chance to get rid of stupid or obsolete requirements.\u00a0 A favorite example of mine is the workers’ compensation mandatory poster and Notice of Accident forms.\u00a0 The forms are impractical and obsolete and their use is rarely enforced. Wherever you work, I can almost guarantee that there are no Notice of Accident forms posted on your walls, even though the law requires them.\u00a0 You probably do not know what they are.\u00a0 (If you have a favorite stupid statute, please tell me about it and I\u2019ll collect them.)<\/p>\n
It could be an opportunity to coordinate filing schedules of different agencies for different reports, which are now inconsistent and sometimes confusing.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s the updating issue. We\u2019ve all seen web sites where somebody forgot to replace last year\u2019s calendar of events or other obsolete information.\u00a0 This happens often enough in New Mexico state government. \u00a0Regular updating has to be designed into the system.<\/p>\n
Other ideas for substantive process improvement should be sought from the business community.<\/p>\n
This is potentially a huge project. Getting it right could give New Mexico a significant advantage in being business friendly.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also fraught with politics. Remember, we’re the state that couldn’t ban fireworks in a drought.\u00a0 It will take a mighty act of political will to accomplish this and do it well.<\/p>\n
Triple Spaced Again, \u00a9 New Mexico News Services 2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Think New Mexico, the well-known Santa Fe public policy think tank, is tackling the issue of economic development, yet another of New Mexico\u2019s perpetual weak spots.\u00a0 One recommendation is that the state should develop a single online portal for all … Continue reading