After Thursday’s retirement announcement of Minnesota IT Services Commissioner Tom Baden, Senator Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake) chairwoman of the Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee issued the following statement:

“I thank Commissioner Baden for his many years of public service and wish him the best in his retirement and with his health concerns.

Unfortunately, it has been made very clear that during Commissioner Baden’s tenure that Minnesota IT Services has not evolved to adjust to adequately meet Minnesota’s growing information technology service needs as has been made evident through the failed rollouts of MNsure and MNLARS along with other issues concerning MN.IT. 

With the vacancy now available at the head of Minnesota IT Services, Governor Dayton has an opportunity to take our state into a new direction by appointing a commissioner who will not only prepare us for our IT technology needs in the future, but who will also provide us some immediate solutions for the Minnesota IT Service problems that plague our state today.  In the meantime, my committee will continue to provide oversight, accountability and be a voice for struggling Minnesotans.”

Senator Mary Kiffmeyer is in her second term representing Senate District 30, which includes Hennepin, Sherburne, and Wright counties. She serves as chairwoman of the State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee.