Lawmakers want improvement at the agency.
Dennis Murphy, on the job at Connecticut's most troubled state agency for just four days, told lawmakers that despite some bad headlines, things have in fact improved.
He described how wait times averaged two hours and forty five minutes back in August when the new glitch-riddled 3M computer software became active. As of last month, wait times are now averaging slightly less than 45 minutes.
"Our job now is to fix the problems and address customer concern," Dennis Murphy, a former Deputy Labor Commissioner told the Joint Appropriations Committee as he discussed the agency's funding needs for the next fiscal year.
Republican Rep. Melissa Ziobron, who recently proposed legislation to privatize functions of the DMV, had been waiting to unleash some of her frustrations in such a forum.
Murphy and the DMV staff in attendance provided her a free swing of sorts, by presenting a budget with no reductions compared to last year. Each state agency was tasked to present budgets with 5.75 percent across the board cuts.
"Show us how you would cut some of your budget," Rep. Ziobron, (R - East Haddam) said. "I think that the taxpayers should see that there is a shared sacrifice and that DMV is sharing in that sacrifice as well.”
Ziobron pushed her proposal to move some functions into private enterprise for the sake of taxpayers, which both Murphy and Gov. Malloy have endorsed.
"I am asking you on behalf of every taxpayer in this state to really troubleshoot and expand the opportunities you already have in place. You have computers, you have systems in place at AAA and dealerships across the state that could be better utilized."
Murphy says he will present lawmakers with an adjusted budget at a later time and reiterated what he believes is his purpose as he temporarily leads the agency.
"Please know that the DMV has the customers interest as a top priority and we want to improve customer service on a continuous basis."
