According to a memo issued jointly by Alabama’s top elected officials, leaders are taking steps to activate the federal-level Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, on the state-level through new and existing levers of the state.
Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) and Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) issued a joint memo on government efficiency to all state agencies and scheduled Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services (ACES) Director Marcus Morgan to testify before the House Fiscal Responsibility Committee.
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In the memo to all state agencies, Gudger and Ledbetter alerted them that, moving forward, any agency that refuses to share information relevant to government expenditures for an ACES study or program evaluation will be reported to the budget chairmen of both chambers.
According to the memo:
“Since Republicans assumed control of the House and Senate in 2010, Alabama’s fiscal outlook has improved significantly. Our state no longer spends beyond its means, proration has been eliminated since the passage of the Rolling Reserve Act in 2011, debts have been repaid, and reserve accounts have been replenished.
We remain committed to responsible governance and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently. Our priority is to maintain a government that is accountable to the people, and that commitment will continue under our leadership.
In 2019, the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services (ACES) was established through Act 2019-517 to work alongside state agencies and policymakers in assessing government programs. ACES provides recommendations for improvement or, when necessary, the elimination of ineffective programs. The Legislature has acted on many of these recommendations and will continue to do so in the interest of fiscal responsibility and effective governance.
On Wednesday, March 19, at 3 p.m., ACES Director Marcus Morgan will come before the House Fiscal Responsibility Committee to educate lawmakers on the work of the commission and answer any questions committee members might have.
As legislative leaders, we will remain steadfast in our efforts to uphold transparency, efficiency, and accountability in Alabama’s government.”
The proposal is backed by Governor Kay Ivey, who also issued a statement this evening.
“All levels and branches of government must always strive to best serve our citizens, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Ivey wrote.
“Both the executive and legislative branches of state government in Alabama effectively work as a team to ensure we are most efficiently serving the people of this state. I am proud to have members of my cabinet and staff be a part of this effort to ensure more money stays in our taxpayers’ pockets.”
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
