Daniels: Outgoing BMV Boss Wasn't Best Politician

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Mitch Daniels said Friday that although the Bureau of Motor Vehicles had problems under Commissioner Joel Silverman, the outgoing BMV chief made the agency better.

Daniels, making his first public comments on Silverman's pending resignation, said the BMV's July computer upgrade -- which hindered many customer transactions for weeks -- was poorly handled. But the governor said that wait times at license branches are now shorter than before the upgrade.

The governor admitted that Silverman lacked in communication skills with the public, but said he would rather have good business people on his staff than smooth-talking politicians.

"The last five BMV commissioners came and went in less time than Joel, and he did more," Daniels said. "He could have been a lot better politician than he was, but we didn't populate our administration with politicians."

Silverman drew the ire of BMV customers for what many of them thought was an arrogant attitude after the bureau's computer woes. In August, Daniels reversed Silverman's decision to impose late fees on people who missed July 31 deadlines to renew vehicle registrations. The late-fee issue was related to the BMV's computer problems, which began when the agency switched to a new system July 5.

Before the computer difficulties, Silverman angered many lawmakers, local officials and ordinary citizens by closing more than 20 license branches.

Daniels said some criticism of Silverman is justified, but he thinks "many of his accomplishments have been utterly ignored."

Ron Stiver will take over as BMV commissioner when Silverman, who submitted his resignation on Wednesday, exits on Oct. 16. Daniels described Stiver, who is currently the commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development, as an outstanding businessman and said one of his first goals will be to strengthen morale at the agency.