IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERSTATE DEFLATIONARY PRESSURES:

With more than 200 town and city offices relying on it for a steady supply of license plates and renewal decals, the Department of Safety says it can't afford staff vacancies. Revenue Administration officials say the same as workers process hundreds of paper tax forms and payments - with an outdated scanner.

A number of other state agencies cite similar circumstances and have identified a solution: $18.6 million in modern technology, more than they would ask for in their agency budget. Funding may no longer be a challenge thanks to millions in federal pandemic recovery money.

Nine departments have identified a range of technology upgrades, from tools like tablets and scanners to computer systems that would reduce their reliance on paper - and people to process it. The requests, which are expected to go before the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee Friday, are part of the State Workforce Efficiency Enhancement Program led by the Governor's Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery, which requires the money be used for one-time technology purchases.

"The governor has told all of us the same thing: We have to get used to this very competitive recruiting effort," said Ken Merrifield, commissioner of the Department of Labor. His workforce is down 23 percent. "You make investments like this in one-time technology that can save man hours, and it can make the difference between being able to serve customers efficiently or not."

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