AUGUSTA – A veteran legislator long lauded as an effective advocate for efficient government and for his efforts to enhance government transparency has been selected by Governor Paul R. LePage to head the new Governor’s Office of Policy and Management.
Richard W. Rosen will begin as OPM’s first director on December 6, following the completion of his fourth term as the State Senator from District 31. He has been a leader in the Legislature since 1998, when he was elected to the House where he served three terms before voters sent him to the Senate.
In addition to serving as the Senate Assistant Republican Leader in the 123rd Legislature along with terms on the Health and Human Services Committee, the Select Committee on Tax Reform and the Utilities and Energy Committee, Rosen has served for four terms on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee under an Independent, a Democratic and a Republican Governor, most recently as its Senate Chair in the 125th Legislature.
On Appropriations, Rosen has been a leader reaching across party lines to build budgets that establish priorities. That experience will serve him well as the new Office leads the identification and implementation of improvements to the efficiency of government wide operations and delivery of services.
Governor LePage appointed Rosen after an extensive search and says the caliber of his choice reflects his high expectations for the new office.
“Richard has a proven track record of making the difficult decisions necessary to keep government within its means. I am pleased he will assist my Administration’s continued efforts to make State government smaller, smarter and consistent in its delivery of quality customer-oriented service,” said Governor LePage.
OPM, which includes the State Economist and several other professional positions, reports to the Governor directly and will also conduct budget formation and review across agencies, facilitate intergovernmental coordination, evaluate effectiveness of economic incentive programs including tax policy and deliver economic data.
“I look forward to thoughtfully approaching this important work. It is an honor to be selected by Governor LePage to build upon the good work his Administration has already undertaken to improve the value of State government to Maine people,” the new director said. “Success in my new role will be seeing across the silos to effectively implement beneficial policy that better serve our government and the taxpayers it is accountable to.”
Earlier this fall, Rosen was honored by the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition with their prestigious Sunshine Award for his efforts to keep government information open and accessible to the public and said he brings that same commitment to transparency to his new post.
Rosen, who lives in Bucksport with his wife District 40 Representative Kimberley Rosen, is the father of two adult children and also is a small business owner of his family’s 102-year-old clothing store on his hometown’s Main Street.
