Every Alabama Baptist should be cheered by the recent initiative of Alabama state government called SMART Governing. This approach provides the best opportunity our state has had in decades to use its scarce resources in ways that provide the most value for the money for its citizens.
If SMART Governing is implemented along the guidelines announced at the bipartisan kickoff Oct. 26 in Birmingham, then the program may go a long way in restoring confidence in the budgeting process of state government as well as restoring confidence in those involved in state government.
Baptists are concerned about the efficiency and effectiveness of state government because our Lord told us to “love our neighbor as ourselves” (Mark 12:31). That love is not limited to individual responses to individual needs, though that is an important element.
Loving one’s neighbor also includes working for social policies that protect and enhance one’s neighbor and against policies that could oppress or degrade one’s neighbor.
That is one reason the voice of the church and the voices of individual Christians are so desperately needed in the public square. There is no way to fulfill our Lord’s command without being concerned about the impact of social and governmental policies, whether at the local, state or national level.
Not a revolutionary concept
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, a Republican, was the primary speaker at the kickoff for SMART Governing. Also sitting at the head table was Democratic Sen. Lowell Barron, president pro tem of the Alabama Senate.
Other top Democrats supporting the SMART Governing initiative include Seth Hammett, speaker of the state House of Representatives, and Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley. Numerous other state representatives and senators from both parties were present for the event.
Such bipartisan agreement on a direction for Alabama has not always been so self-evident.
SMART Governing is not a revolutionary concept. Basically it is priority budgeting. Yet it differs greatly from the usual process of state budgeting, speakers explained. The usual approach has been for a department of state government to start with the amount appropriated last year, add a little for inflation and then a little more for growth.
SMART Governing will require specific goals with specific dollar amounts for each goal. Departments will be held accountable for accomplishing those goals. In addition, the goals, appropriations and results will all be made available to all the citizens of Alabama through the Internet.
Riley and others emphasized again and again that SMART Governing requires specific goals, measurable outcomes, accountable systems, responding to needs and transparent operations to the citizens of the state.
He called these elements basic business principles that will allow state government to keep its promises to the people of Alabama.
This approach to government will focus on results, not activity. As Riley said, this approach will let Alabamians know “where we are going, where the starting point is and how we are going to get there.”
Every program in every department will be evaluated on the basis of whether the goal was achieved. Programs that work can be rewarded. Those that fail will be defunded. No longer will an appropriation go on year after year after year without that program being evaluated.
It is an accepted axiom of business that “those things that get measured, get done.” In other states where SMART Governing has been implemented, immediate results have been seen. We hope that will be the case in Alabama. Tax money is too scarce and public need too great to fund programs that do not work.
This approach to state budgeting will not eliminate all the political rankling for which Alabama has become known. Republicans and Democrats will continue to have basic differences in the priorities of state government.
There will never be enough money to do all that people want to do. But what the governor and the legislature decide to do will be specific. It will be measurable. Those leading the programs and projects will be evaluated and held accountable for the results.
That alone should result in a more efficient and effective state government because people always do a better job if they know they will be held accountable for the results.
There is a danger that all of this could be nothing more than political rhetoric. After all, the 1976 Budget Management Act adopted by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law called for a process very similar to that outlined in SMART Governing.
Riley promised that for the first time in almost 30 years, the governor and the leaders of the state legislature were committed to working together to put these principles into practice. We certainly hope that is true.
If it is not, then both will be held accountable for the false hope their joint announcement raised.
Loving through social policies
In 1 Timothy 2:1–3, the apostle Paul instructs Christians to “pray … for all who are in authority.” Certainly Alabama Baptists will be praying for the governor, legislative leaders and other leaders of our state.
Alabamians do a great job in “loving their neighbor” through individual response to individual needs.
Now we need the social policies of our state to match that “love of neighbor” with efficient and effective service. That is “smart governing” and Alabama deserves nothing less.
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