Playing off a new buzzword in Washington, the Alabama Policy Institute on Tuesday said it is launching an Alabama Department of Government Efficiency, or ALDOGE.
The Birmingham-based think tank that advocates for conservative principles said in a written statement it has been the unofficial state DOGE for 35 years, advocating for limited government, free markets, and greater accountability from state leadership.
“Regulatory overreach and lack of accountability aren’t just federal problems,” API President and CEO Stephanie Smith said. “There are significant challenges at the state level too. (Alabama Department of Government Efficiency) will address these issues head-on, ensuring that Alabama taxpayers have a government that is efficient, transparent, and accountable.”
President-elect Donald Trump last month said Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” though it won’t be an actual government agency. Trump, The Associated Press reported, said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.”
The Alabama Policy Institute laid out its case for the Alabama office, saying spending in the state’s Education Trust Fund and General Fund have grown by a combined 52.3% in the last decade and 26.5% in the past five years.
Every year since 2016, Alabama has collected and spent more taxpayer dollars than ever every year, API said.
“Yet, taxpayers often see little improvement in the efficiency or responsiveness of government services,” the statement said.
The institute noted that over the last decade, public school support staff positions have increased by 3,332 and state government vehicle registrations grew by 801 from 2014 to 2023.
People are asked to submit examples of government inefficiency, waste and fraud at the local, state or federal level to API’s website. They have an option of uploading documentation.