PHOENIX
The Phoenix City Council Finance, Efficiency and Innovation (FE&I) Subcommittee met recently to discuss several cost-saving improvements, including rightsourcing, hiring a chief innovation officer and implementing same day garbage service.
This fiscal year, Phoenix will outsource $477 million, which is the highest level of rightsourcing in the city's history. This is an increase of 39 percent ($133 million) over the past six years and a 10 percent increase from fiscal year 2010-11. Also during this time, the number of full-time, non-public safety positions decreased by more than 12 percent (or 1,203 positions).
The subcommittee also approved to hire a chief innovation executive. This position would work in the City Manager's office and work closely with the Innovation and Efficiency Task Force on innovation projects.
Another cost-saving measure approved by the subcommittee was to proceed with implementing same-day garbage service. Currently, garbage and recycling are collected on different days of the week.
An important advantage of the proposed change is customer convenience, which will be enhanced with residents only having to put out containers one day per week, rather than two. Also, the change would reduce operation and maintenance costs through the elimination of 12 collection routes and associated operators and collection trucks. The anticipated annual savings from the reduction of routes, equipment, and staff is $1.3 million, and $5 million over five years.
All decisions made by the subcommittee will head to a vote at an upcoming Formal City Council meeting.
