Certainly you could find other examples of a working
relationship between a state CIO and lawmakers, but perhaps none
as colorful as the act now playing in Wisconsin.  Their
relationship is akin to a comedian/straight man duo.  The
wisecracking senator, Ted Kanavas, tells CIO Matt Miszewski,
"Execute this plan or I execute you," while the straight-talking
CIO matter-of-factly takes aim at a "flawed" bill the senator
has in the Legislature.  Their first gig was cutting the state's
IT budget by $40 million. The governor needed $3.2 billion axed
from the state budget, and as a member of the finance committee,
Kanavas was charged with finding that money.  When Miszewski
came aboard as CIO in March, his greeting from Kanavas went
something like this: "Welcome. And by the way, we need you to
cut your budget by $40 million."  The conservative Kanavas
delights in hammering at the liberal Miszewski, saying the two
argue sometimes about politics, but the CIO is no match. "Don't
debate a politician, you're going to lose