Reader comments
State computer can't handle full disclosure

Filling out paper forms? Those poor state lawmakers. That must have been aweful for you!

Talk about ethics reform. The republicans in charge here in Utah can't even comply with the ethic regulations in already in place. They want to complain about government and then while they are in charge make sure that government doesn't function so they can win both ways.

With republicans in charge it's like having the fox in charge of the henhouse and blaming the farmer when eggs are stolen.

How much longer are we going to let this imcompetance be tolerated.

and he didn't get it right.

Who rolls out a system without proper testing?

Maybe if he spent less time filming TV commercials in his PJs and out cruising the state campaigning for Governor and more time in the office overseeing his ONE little job we would have a system that works.

Did he shortcut the computer polling systems too?

What is it about governments and computers? I could fill a book with all the reports I've read over the last 30 years of multi-million/billion dollar programs to computerize one or another governmental function, with little or NOTHING to show for it.

I think the problem is that in creating computer programs, unlike all the bureaucracies for which governments are renowned, the success or failure of its operation is undeniable. With a computer, and most physical, tangible things, it either performs its function and is deemed successful, or it doesn’t and is discarded for something that will perform the function.

On the other hand, governmental agencies can exist for decades in a constant failure mode. With waste, inefficiencies and customer service that would be considered completely unacceptable in a commercial environment. However, with the duplicity for which many politicians are famous, the response is simply to praise their efforts and add more money and people to try and get it right.

The difference is the mode of income. Commercial entities must persuade people to trade their money for goods/services. Government, with sole confiscatory authority, simply takes it. Or prints it.

Herbert is the hardest working Lt Gov this state has ever seen! Huntsman and Herbert have Utah outpacing every other state in the nation economically and fiscally. With their success in maintaining a balanced budget (while other states are begging for bailouts), I am willing to put up with insignificant computer follies which are absolutely due to them doing more with less. Who really cares if it was "hard" for people to report? Get over it or make the reporting laws less cumersome.

You have got to be kidding me! This is absolutely ridiculous. Herbert can't even get this right, how hard can it be to test a computer system when you have it up and running for over a month. This is ridiculous!

Herbert can't even upgrade a computer system how can we expect him to run the state.

I would like to see this "book". Do you work for IT in the government? If you did, you would realize that the state tries its darndest to big projects, with relatively little money. The DTS department has cut their budget so many times in the last year, just to accomodate these idiot legislators. No wonder their program didnt work. They probably didnt have enough resources to do it right in the first place. So, stop railing about stuff you know nothing about.

Let's put the blame where it belongs. Squarely at the feet of Rep Clark of St George. He got a bill passed 4 years ago that consolidated all IT in the state under DTS. This would save millions of dollars and take us to IT nirvana. What a joke. It cost millions of dollars and scores of great IT employees who were fed up shortsighted and powerseeking legislators and left state government. Why don't you legislator send all your filling information to Clark and have him fill it out for you. For free.

Poor programing isn't a bug. It is poor work.

How convenient and the timing was just right.

Heckofa job Herbert!

Acutally, Herbert has at least two jobs. Remember how he sat on the Walker crime until right after the Republican primary? Don't worry, we will eventually get the information. Maybe Herbert dedided to purposely withhold it until after the next election so voters wouldn't be "influenced" by the information.