Republican State Lawmaker Selected for National Panel on ‘New Economy’

BURLINGTON – Panels on the future of our economy and how to prepare workers for changing economic landscapes are a perennial exercise by governments at regional, state, and federal levels. Those efforts are mostly futile, especially concerning private industry trends, because markets for business and labor tend to move much faster than government initiatives.

A new subcommittee of the Council of State Government’s national Future of Work Task Force, however, will be examining how to optimize the state government workforce amid technological disruptions and evolving best practices, and a Republican member of the N.C. House will be serving on it.

From the Times-News:

“N.C. Rep. Steve Ross, R-Burlington, has been selected to join a subcommittee of The Council of State Government’s national Future of Work Task Force.

The group will “explore how states can best navigate the challenges and opportunities of the new economy,” CSG Executive Director David Adkins said in a press release from Ross’ office. “The task force will examine how technology creates new jobs and eliminates existing jobs, and it will share success stories and best practices, and provide guidance on how states can best embrace the innovative and ever-evolving opportunities in the new economy.”

Ross will serve on the Smart Government Subcommittee, which will provide new perspectives on state governance and the delivery of state services. Members will document best practices and examine innovative approaches to help state leaders enhance state systems and engage with citizens, as well as train, attract and retain a new generation of public employees.”

One simple way to more efficiently deliver state services with taxpayer dollars would be to avoid staffing out ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ offices. One position at the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has a salary of $140,000 a year!

However, the other subcommittees of this Council of State Governments effort include one named…Equity and Inclusion.

Hopefully Rep. Ross can provide a relatively limited government perspective to the effort, reminding them that the most effective government for the new economy, and best practices for any government workforce, is to stick to core functions of government as dictated in the Constitution and respect taxpayers by doing less, with less.