Rep. Steve Clouse | Chairman | General Fund Budget Committee
Clouse is in his 20th year in the Alabama House of Representatives. He was one of the Republicans slogging it out in the minority year after year before Republicans took control in the 2010. He’s paid his dues, and now runs one of the most powerful committees in state government.
Because most of Alabama’s revenue streams flow into the Education Budget, the General Fund seems to be in dire straights almost every year. That makes Clouse’s job particularly difficult, but he’s won praise from his colleagues for the way he’s handled the challenge since taking over the chairmanship last year.
Being General Fund Chairman during the legislative sessions can by like drinking from a fire hose. Clouse is constantly being inundated with a diverse array of interests, all trying to convince him to carve them out a bigger piece of the budget. In spite of having to make a lot of tough choices with the state’s limited resources, Clouse has managed to remain well liked and has garnered the respect of his colleagues, business associations, and grassroots groups alike. That’s tough to pull off for someone who has to say “no” as much as Clouse does in his role.
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