From Deseret News archives:
Working 4 Utah is an excellent innovation
As Utah moves toward implementing a four-day workweek on Monday there are tremendous benefits to be seen by everyone affected. There are three critical areas that highlight the broad-spectrum benefits of this program: energy costs and the environmental impact, customer service and employee satisfaction.
In a time of record energy costs, Utahns are finding ways to trim their energy consumption at home and in business. Taxpayers should expect government to make the same types of assessments being done at kitchen tables around Utah about the way we are consuming energy.
By closing government buildings on Fridays, we are able to cut energy costs by 20 percent in those buildings. This is a significant step, not only in a budgetary sense and saving taxpayer money, but also in the effort to reduce state government's carbon footprint, thereby helping to improve our air quality and our overall quality of life.
Huntsman has set an aggressive goal to increase energy efficiency 20 percent by 2015. This initiative is just one step in that overall goal to be more responsible about energy consumption.
This move is an effort to ensure service when it is convenient for the taxpayers. We're here to serve you, so if our hours are set to accommodate your needs, we're doing our job more effectively.
We are also able to serve the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with more than 800 services available online at Utah.gov, giving customers immediate access to services without the hassle of ever having to enter a government building.
Finally, state employees are some of the finest, most dedicated public servants the taxpayers of Utah could ask for. We can keep and recruit good public employees by reducing their commuting costs by 20 percent each week. Employees are also given more time each weekend to enjoy the tremendous quality of life Utah is known for.
Recent comments
An unworkable burden on the family.
My sister works for the state....
Anon | Aug. 4, 2008 at 10:42 a.m.
A law degree and a MBA does not a leader make. General George Custer...
Disgruntled | Aug. 4, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.
Innovative? Hardly. I've know some businesses that were doing this...
Give Me A Break | Aug. 3, 2008 at 2:39 p.m.
- Endangered tongues conference 4:43 p.m.
- 'Dinosaur Odyssey' insight to life 4:35 p.m.
- PETA unhappy with Utah laws 4:33 p.m.
- Waste incinerator settlement OK'd 4:27 p.m.
- Gas line prompts Parowan evacuation 4:25 p.m.
- Canal co. shareholders OK merger 4:24 p.m.
- Crèche convention opens in SLC 4:02 p.m.
- Utes focus on game, not 'GameDay' 3:58 p.m.
- Duchesne developers charged 3:16 p.m.
- Hall closing in on victory milestone 3:15 p.m.
- House passes health care bill
325 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
310 - TCU showdown has big implications
195 - Senators want food tax restored
158 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - Will state consider gay rights law?
129 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
116 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
110
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
For every animal you dont eat, I'm going to eat 3
Now there is the truth.
I'm all for nuclear power. And tidal, and hydro, and solar, and coal, ...
It doesn't matter how long they fight or how high pitched their screams are,...
Starters: PG: Duh SG: Brewer SF: Millsap PF: AK C: Fez Bench: PG:...
Can the Jazz afford NOT to make similar move. That said, nobody is going...
Proof that the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman...
John Galligan, Hasan's civilian attorney, said "Given his status as a...
great thought - Jackson would bring us the character and defensive mentality...
Hang on guys, I got this one. I seem to remember learning this from Sesame...

