Kitsap County commissioner Chris Endresen has been named to a state task force that will probe a number of questions aimed at increasing the efficiency of governments and recommend who should pay and who should provide services shared among state, county and city jurisdictions. The state Joint Task Force on Local Governments was created by the Washington State Legislature last session to develop legislation dealing with these issues.

Among the questions the task force will face are: Can cities and counties save taxpayers money by sharing a SWAT team; Why are counties stuck with paying medical costs for indigents; Should the state pick up some of the money counties pay for Superior Court judge salaries; Just how much should cities and counties be expected to pay for state-mandated services and others.

The task force is made up of 17 members, four each from the House and Senate, four from the Association of Washington Cities, two from the Washington State Association of Counties, two from the Washington Association of County Officials, and a representative of Governor Gary Locke.

Endresen was named to the task force because of her experience in government at both the county and city level according to Bill Vogler of the Washington State Association of Counties.