State IT agency ditches 'Expect the best' motto

The title says it all. These are the people that supply our computers and networking services. But, Mikem aren't you a computer weenie? Yes, but in application development and O&M. These folks are laptops, and networks, run the e-mail, et al. So, anyway, what's the deal?

Virginia's government will no longer be told to expect the best from the state's IT agency.

The Virginia Information Technologies Agency has quietly
dropped "Expect the best" as its signature slogan.

While saying the internal criticism from customer agencies did not prompt the change, the state's IT organization admits its consolidation and outsourcing has been a rough road.

Duh.

VITA serves more than 900 government customers across the Commonwealth. About 10 percent are the state's executive-branch agencies, while the rest are other Virginia governmental entities.

That's 900 agencies and/or organizations not users. Offically, every state employeee is a customer.

What's more worrisome, is the cost of this. It was supposed to make IT cheaper, but some agencies are not finding that to be true.

Although saving residents and agencies money has been one of VITA's goals since the centralized computer and communications organization was set up in 2003, several state agencies say they had to make cuts to help pay higher-than-expected VITA bills:

• The Virginia State Police canceled spring firearms training for troopers.
  
• The Department of Juvenile Justice has put off hiring 17 to 19 corrections and probation officers.
  
• The Virginia Employment Commission has been turning in desktop and laptop computers it cannot afford.