SRP: “Never say never” on outsourcing AZ jobs

Salt River Project (SRP), the utility monopoly with a voracious appetite for corporate excesses, and negligible appreciation of its ratepayers, has decided against outsourcing Arizona tech jobs to foreign nationals. For now.

Disingenuous responses from the utility’s Assistant General Manager Barbara Hoffnagle included this gem, “There were cost savings (with outsourcing), but not as high as anticipated,” she said of the bids from Accenture Ltd. of Ireland and Infosys Technologies Ltd. of India.

The public outcries of “Foul!” obviously didn’t merit her attention.

Unable to resist rubbing a bit of that famous Salt River salt in the wound caused by SRP‘s foreign overtures, Hoffnagle said outsourcing could be an option when the economy rebounds and the up-front costs are not such a critical issue. “Never say never,” she said. All that was missing was a all-knowing wink and crossed fingers held behind her back.

But don’t think Arizona Public Service is any better. It has also interviewed several outsourcing companies this year, researching the benefits of having computer-programming jobs done “offshore.”

We get it. Arizona’s taxpayers are good enough to foot the bill for these mega-buck companies, but not good enough to hire.

The daily’s Business section carries the report here.