INSIDE TUCSON BUSINESS: Mon., Aug. 4, 2008

City, county officials say they're streamlining

By Ed Egger

Is it possible the City of Tucson and Pima County are working together to cut red tape and make doing business with them easier and faster? Carmine DeBonis, director of development services for Pima County, and Jessie Sanders, deputy director of development services for the City of Tucson, said they are using their downtime during the current slowdown to re-evaluate and streamline their processes.

The city, which this month was named the least business-friendly government entity in Arizona in a survey of the Arizona Small Business Association, is "analyzing the whole development plan process," Sanders said.

DeBonis said his department is involved in several "service enhancement projects" he believes will streamline processes and reduce the time required to get permits and approvals. One is "single-day permitting," with a goal of getting 80% of permits reviewed and approved in one day by reorganizing his staff so there are fewer handoffs and less duplication of effort.

FULL STORY: http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2008/08/04/news/doc4893636d957b0113594251.txt