Federation of Tax Administrators

  444 North Capitol Street, N.W., #348
  Washington, D.C. 20001
  Ph. (202) 624-5890/Fax (202) 624-7888

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WASHINGTON STATE WINS
FTA MANAGEMENT AWARD

[printable pdf version]

(Washington , D. C., March 8, 2004) The Federation of Tax Administrators announced today that the Washington Department of Revenue has won the 2004 Award for Outstanding Management and Organizational Initiative.

Presentation of the award will take place at the FTA Annual Meeting on June 7 in Providence, R.I. The winner has also been invited to make a presentation on the program during the annual meeting.

The Washington Department of Revenue was recognized for its Organization Development Initiative. This is the overall umbrella that takes charge of the agency’s major organizational efforts. Its role is to integrate the efforts, renew them, expand them and create performance results.

The effort began as a humble quality improvement program that, in 2002, was expanded into a “holistic, integrated" effort. The idea was to not only tackle normal quality improvement, but "challenge the agency to expand its programs to integrate innovation." Activities including weaving together existing management improvement programs: a quality improvement program, a strategic business plan and employee and taxpayer satisfaction surveys. The paradigm shift is that the agency can "see the interconnectivity among the initiatives" and can "add elements of innovation, and involve all the appropriate stakeholders." Tangible results from resulting management changes include an additional $26 million in revenue generated and more than $2 million in savings from reduced spending.

One of the most satisfying outcomes has been "that customers, stakeholders and employees are noticing the results."

The Federation of Tax Administrators is a nonprofit organization comprised of the tax and revenue departments of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City. Its mission is to improve the standards and methods of tax administration.

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