Latest Gividen Press Release of Yesterday

Here it is:

"News Release - Monday, August 14, 2006
Gividen offers solution to Bureau of Motor Vehicles debacles

State Senate candidate Kenn Gividen says he can help resolve the Bureau of Motor Vehicles mess.

He says the missing ingredient is incentive.

"It should be obvious," the candidate noted. "Without gas you can’t start your lawnmower, without electricity you can’t power a refrigerator and without incentive you can’t run a business."

Gividen acknowledges that a few government agencies can’t function as businesses. "But the licence bureau is one exception," he noted.

The difference, he said, is the customer service component.

"Last year the state closed 27 licence branches," Gividen said. "Meanwhile, there were private businesses begging to franchise license bureau services. Instead of depriving Hoosiers of those services, we could be increasing them, opening new branches and enhancing both quality and speed."

The candidate noted that Indiana law currently permits privatization of license branch services but, Gividen said, "They just aren’t taking advantage of the opportunity."

Gividen pointed to Senate Bill 361 that would have required the license bureau to provide services through private businesses. The bill, introduced earlier this year, failed to get a hearing.

Incentive, he said, would be a "two-way street."

Profit would motivate private service providers to maintain fast and accurate service, he said. Gividen’s plan also suggests that private providers would earn bonuses for high customer service marks.

On the other hand, the state would be motivated to provide competent service to the franchisees, Gividen said. He pointed to the recent $34 million computer upgrade that resulted in Hoosiers paying late fees. "A network of franchisees would have immediately recognized the folly of doing the upgrade at the height of the business cycle," he noted. "The upgrade could have been performed during the winter months when business was slow, minimizing fallout," he said.

Governor Mitch Daniels has since apologized for the computer problems and ordered the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to refund residual late fees.

Gividen pointed to the Governor’s success in privatizing Indiana’s toll roads as evidence that his plan will work. He said that management of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles should be sold to a private company. "Indiana could use the profit from the sale,” he said, “and Hoosiers could certainly use competent management."

"All we need is leadership in the state Senate to get the job done," he said.

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