Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell today announced she has ordered a freeze on state agency purchasing that could save at least $4.3 million between now and the end of the fiscal year in June.
“I have instructed agency heads to suspend purchasing of all items and goods, except for those deemed as absolutely essential to the operation of each agency,” Rell said in a statement.
Her office said targeted savings includes: $3.23 million in paper, TONER CARTRIDGES, folders and pens; $1.1 million in industrial supplies including cleaning products, hand tools, hardware and vacuuming equipment; $362,000 in office equipment including fax machines and small printers and by canceling preventive maintenance programs on such equipment; $70,000 in outerwear and uniforms.
Rell spokesman Christopher Cooper gave me a list of additional items that fall under her ban, including audio-visual equipment, private printing services for promotional materials, media marketing, dry cleaning, dining room and cafeteria equipment and grounds-keeping equipment.
Cooper said the move was to encourage agencies to leave a little bit left over in their budgets at the end of the fiscal year, rather than feel obligated to burn through it all.
“I think everybody knows in government you get a budget and most believe it’s their obligation to spend that even if they don’t need it,” Cooper said.
Cooper expected the freeze might encourage inter-agency sharing of various office supplies and equipment and said there is no a concern a department will suddenly run out of pencils or be unable to print copies.
“It’s not iron clad you cannot buy anything. Items essential to operation of the agency could be purchased. I would expect if something meant they couldn’t do their work – even if that was paper – that they would be able to make that purchase,” Cooper said.
