Our View

Our View

Governor wants new o_ce to trim state spending

It is refreshing to know we have strong political leadership in Little Rock, under the guidance of Gov. Asa Hutchinson, that actually wants to seriously make state government more efficient.

Seldom do we as taxpayers and voters hear from these politicians – particularly the more liberal ones – a desire to cut the fat out of government, rather than calls for more taxes to subsidize more government programs, hire more government employees, create new government positions and bow to the demands from bureaucrats that more tax dollars they claim are needed for schools, public health care and government entitlement programs.

We were certainly surprised to learn the other day that Hutchinson wants to create a new state office – yes that’s correct – at no extra expense to the taxpayers, for the sole purpose of streamlining state government.

Now that is something we haven’t heard before from a politician. Seems Hutchinson wants to implement formulating a statewide strategic plan, centralizing state services and increasing utilization of online services and citizen participation.

In his announcement Hutchinson said, “Increasing efficiencies to conserve state resources is the best way to return money to the pockets of hard-working taxpayers and deliver better state services to Arkansans.

So, what does all this mean and can the critics attack this as being nothing more than a political con job to make Arkansans believe our governor is being fiscally responsible and actually committed to tightening the financial belt rapped around an obese government?

Well, let’s begin by explaining that Hutchinson has appointed the Arkansas Economic Development Commission member Amy Fecher to be the sole staff member of the newly created Office of Transformation.

We’re told Fecher will remain in her current role at the commission in addition to assuming new responsibilities.

So, the next question the critics will certainly ask is how much more in salary will this Fecher receive.

Well, according to a spokesman for the governor’s office she will not get a raise. Fecher’s current salary is $121,037.

Some of the changes we can expect to see in the near future will be moving the state’s energy office from under the economic development commission to the state Department of Environmental Quality as well as a cut by more than two-thirds the number of committees tasked with inspecting county jail.

There is also a proposal to put the state department of Parks and Tourism in control of Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium, as a cost-cutting move.

We’re told that according to the Arkansas Policy Foundation the state has nearly 200 cost-cutting programs that could save an additional $50 million by reorganizing more room for improvement.

This is, as Hutchinson pointed out, by no means a figurehead position and is certainly a refreshing approach to the status quo. It goes totally contrary to the tax and spend mentality we have all grown to disdain.