Nevada computer agency skewered by lawmakers

Lawmakers rolled their eyes and threw up their hands Thursday as a review of Nevada's computer and technology agency became a painstaking inquiry into staff shuffling and money management.

It was rough going for Department of Information Technology Director Terry Savage, who apologized for recent mistakes and even said he had been "naive and clueless" at one point.

Savage was interrupted 20 times by lawmakers while defending the agency's two-year, $84 million spending plan and a proposal to give himself new bureaucratic powers.

Sen. Sandra Tiffany, R-Las Vegas, picked apart what she called a "shell game" by Savage in reclassifying 24 workers -- giving some a new pay scale -- and transferring 16 others.

She waved her arms and rolled her eyes during a budget subcommittee meeting, and let out a whoop when it concluded.

The computer agency has spread charges to other departments, causing lawmakers to complain agencies would be charged more next year for technology services they don't use. Many have hired outside computer specialists to build Web pages and do programming.

Savage said the shuffling and new money was needed to comply with federal regulation, catch up on building maintenance and to ensure state computer systems are kept safe from Internet viruses and attacks.

"We're providing 19 percent more services for 6 percent more cost. And I'm very proud of that," Savage said. His two-year plan includes $18 million more spending than the current biennium.

The agency budget is especially complicated because it is subject to federal regulation and includes numerous billing and outsourcing ties to other departments. The department gets no money directly from the state general fund.

Lawmakers waded into a detailed analysis of department spending.

Tiffany said the committee needed a detailed explanation of how the computer agency billed others. "We've requested this forever!" she complained.

Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, said Savage's proposed hiring of a new threat assessment consultant as he added four new network security specialists was "backwards."

"It's just all mixed up," Chowning said.

Tiffany added that Savage could be overestimating the potential threat to state networks. "We don't need to be the level of the Rolls-Royce for security. Maybe the level of a Volkswagen," she said.

Lawmakers also wondered about past audit findings that department staff were being paid for hours they didn't work. Savage said a personnel investigation is ongoing and criminal charges are possible.

The Assembly Ways and Means-Senate Finance subcommittee is set to further review Department of Information Technology spending next week.