A Message from Director Kevin Tyne   I am honored to have been appointed by Governor Brewer and to have received Senate confirmation as the Department of Weights and Measures newest Director.    Under Governor Brewer’s strong leadership, the Department has made critical and important strides in delivering quality services while being absolutely efficient and cost-effective with the taxpayers’ dollars.     Brewer Administration 2010 Accomplishments:    ·         Protected Arizona consumers – Governor Brewer issued a directive for the Dept. of Weights and Measures to increase our investigations at gas pumps to specifically combat credit and debit card fraud here in Arizona.  To date, such inspections are up by 15 percent, while the number of crimes reported to the department has decreased.   ·         Taxi cabs/Limo’s not overcharging – This year, our weights and measures investigators were specifically on-site outside of the Waste Management Phoenix Open (and many other major sports venues) to ensure that patrons utilizing taxi or livery vehicles weren’t being overcharged or ripped off.   ·         Increased efficiency – The Department worked hard this past year to reduce unused labor capacity by better accounting for daily functions such as inspection time, travel time, and data entry, thus giving us flexibility in meeting customer needs while also controlling costs.   ·         Provided better service – We also improved customer service with a more efficient business system whereby applications are processed online, freeing up agency staff to focus on other business activities and providing speedier document processing.   2010 Results:   Inspections:  In 2010, the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures inspected over 22,079 commercial measuring devices – from retail scales to vehicle scales to taxi meters.  We tested accuracy of retail price scanners, and we tested the accuracy of net weight on food and packaged goods in over 939 different retail locations statewide.  Very importantly, the department conducted nearly 3,524 tests of fuel quality at gas stations and other fuel distribution locations throughout the state.  We also conducted 2,748 Stage II vapor recovery inspections to directly mitigate air quality.   Laboratory work for Arizona industry:  Arizona’s metrology lab is nationally accredited (one of 17 labs in the nation) and conducted over 8,099 tests and calibrations of standards and devices in 2010. These services are provided directly to Arizona’s commercial marketplace, to scientific and law enforcement labs, to manufacturers, and to the aerospace and technology industries.   Consumer Protection:  We’ve continued our commitment to protecting Arizona’s buyers and sellers, we’ve kept pace with innovative advancements in the marketplace, we’ve incorporated critical cost-saving measures given the state’s current economic climate, and we’ve maintained important community and corporate education programs.  In short, the Department remains committed to building on our recent success and pursuing tomorrow’s potential in upholding the vital standards of measurement for Arizona.