Does Alabama Need a Department of Government Efficiency?

At the time of this transition, Alabama was in a dire financial situation. The state had endured five rounds of proration within a decade, leading to disruptive mid-year budget cuts. Basic operational expenses, such as keeping the lights on at the State House, were a challenge. Decades of excessive spending had left Alabama with more than $600 million in debt, largely due to withdrawals from the Alabama Trust Fund and the depletion of rainy-day accounts. That cycle of financial mismanagement ended in 2010.

One of the first actions under Republican leadership was reducing the state workforce by more than 5,000 employees. In 2011, we passed the Rolling Reserve Act, a groundbreaking measure that brought long-term financial stability. Previously, state budgets relied on overly optimistic revenue projections, leading to chronic overspending. The Rolling Reserve Act changed that by capping spending in the Education Trust Fund based on a 15-year revenue average. Any revenue beyond the cap now goes into reserve funds, ensuring stability during economic downturns. As a result, Alabama has gone 14 consecutive years without proration in education funding.

Another significant reform came in 2012 with a Constitutional Amendment that tied legislative salaries to median household income. This was a necessary response to past abuses, including multiple legislative pay raises between 1991 and 2007, culminating in a 61% increase during a national recession. That era of self-serving government ended with responsible leadership.

Over the past 15 years, we have implemented fiscally conservative policies that have restored financial integrity. By 2019, we had fully paid off the $600 million debt and rebuilt our reserves. In just the last three years, we have passed over a dozen tax cuts, including a historic 25% reduction in the state grocery tax. Combined with the $400 million tax rebate issued in 2021, the total tax cuts passed since 2021 exceed $1.4 billion.

Beyond financial management, we have invested strategically in education, infrastructure, and economic development. Education reforms, such as the Literacy and Numeracy Acts, have significantly improved Alabama’s national rankings—rising from 49th to 34th in reading and from 52nd to 32nd in math. Additionally, the CHOOSE Act has made Alabama a national leader in school choice policies.

Infrastructure improvements have been just as impressive. Once ranked among the worst in the country, Alabama’s roads and bridges are now considered among the nation’s best. The state was recently ranked 8th in the U.S. for overall infrastructure quality, including roads, bridges, airports, power, and broadband access. Our pro-business approach has also garnered national recognition, positioning Alabama as the most improved state for business.

Now, some are suggesting the creation of a Department of Government Efficiency. But the reality is, we have been implementing responsible, efficient governance for the past 15 years.

• We spend less than we take in.

• Our reserves are strong enough to weather economic downturns.

• We pass a balanced budget annually and have laws in place to control budget growth.

• We ensure government functions properly while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

• Alabama has one of the lowest state debt burdens in the nation.

• We continue to cut taxes, maintaining our position as the lowest-tax state in the country.

While we recognize that there is always room for improvement in efficiency and transparency, we have already taken meaningful steps in this direction. In 2019, the Legislature established the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services (ACES). This commission independently assesses the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of state programs, working alongside agencies and policymakers to enhance or eliminate underperforming initiatives.

Additionally, through the Sunset Committee, we have consolidated or eliminated numerous boards and commissions, with ongoing efforts to streamline occupational licensing boards.

ACES is a powerful tool for accountability, but we can—and should—continue working to cut waste, lower taxes, and ensure that government serves the people, not itself. This has been the guiding principle of the Republican-led Legislature for the past 15 years, and it remains our mission in the current legislative session.

So, does Alabama need a Department of Government Efficiency? Given our track record, it’s clear that we are already delivering on that promise without creating another bureaucratic entity.