Review IDs ways to improve government efficiency

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter said Monday that a review team has identified government efficiencies that could save the state as much as $145 million over the next five years.
Ritter, a Democrat who was sworn into office earlier this year, announced a series of reforms that he said were the result of surveying state employees about ways to save money.
The reforms outlined by the Governor's Government Efficiency and Management Performance Review Team include saving up to $47 million by using technology to prevent Medicaid fraud.
He also said the state could save $7.5 million over the five-year period by implementing a "preferred drug list" -- an executive order Ritter made earlier this year. Ritter signed the order in hopes of bringing down drug costs for the state's Medicaid program.
Other proposals include: Reducing the state's vehicle fleet, saving $2.2 million and reducing vehicle maintenance costs by $3.3 million doing repairs internally instead of contracting the work to private businesses.
In addition to those savings, Ritter said the state would improve its collections of tax dollars owed by out-of-state corporations -- an estimated benefit of $37.8 million.
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