So what we're trying to show them is here's the ways we're saving money.
NASHVILLE — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam said Monday that critics are drawing the wrong conclusion from his administration’s ongoing efforts to save money and that he’s “not trying to outsource the entire state.”
“It’s like I said, not even close to realistic,” Haslam said. “Are there things we’re always going to look at that say is the state doing this now and are we the best people to be doing that? Sure, we’re always going to do that. And that’s something we should be doing.”
The governor’s comments came after a Times Free Press story on Sunday showing Haslam and other officials included controversial plans for additional outsourcing, which would include most state building operations and maintenance functions to private companies, in the state’s presentation this month to Wall Street credit-rating agencies.
Haslam has come under criticism for considering yet more outsourcing of state building management and operations that could include public colleges and universities as well as prisons, state parks and other facilities. In 2013, the state outsourced operations of nearly three dozen buildings.