The Downside of S&T Success

The Sacramento Bee recently ran a story showing there is a downside for California being home of the Silicon Valley phenomenon: 20 percent of the 6,600 computer and telecommunications positions within the California state government are vacant. Some local governments are reporting even higher vacancy rates.

According to the story, the result for California residents is that they do not have the World Wide Web convenience of government service delivery now offered in many other states — such as online vehicle registration or fishing license purchases.

More serious information needs such as tracking child support payments also are not being addressed because of the lack of trained workers. Other sites, once created cannot be updated because the trained staff have left for positions in private business.

Slow government hiring processes and noncompetitive civil salaries and benefits are cited as the reasons for the problem.