Examples:

Education: I'm not talking salaries of teachers, but capital expenditures. Kids in public schools need a nice and safe school, but some of the architecture and design of our schools is outrageously expensive. Multi-million dollar Taj Mahal schools...when a good basic building would do just as good. Curriculum and programs in schools could also be adjusted to save money...when cash poor focus on the basics and let extra curricular or non-core classes be fee based so parents can help fund. Why does Education have their own budget and run surpluses....redo the system. Just a few examples....but this is in Education which is all earmarked anyway.

Prisons: Our prisons are overcrowded and cost lots of money...huge % of budget. Non-violent offenders need to be put to work all across the state instead of being locked up. Cutting grass, cleaning rivers and lakes, road crews, chain gangs, painting schools, etc... Make them work to pay their community service. Much cheaper than housing them. If they don't show up or refuse to work, lock them up. Just one example.

Medicaid: Fraud and abuse of Medicaid is high. Doctors milk it. Citizens get on it and stay on it. The safety net has become comfortable hammock. Those who truly need it for long term should get the care they need always. Truly need--the definition is broad and is part of the problem. Medicaid spending is a huge budget item.

Agencies: Ever looked at how many State agencies, boards, commissions, etc... there are? Not really small and limited government. I'd guess there could be more consolidation of resources. Plenty of overlap. Take construction for example, there is the Building Commission, Builders Licensure Board, General Contractors Licensure Board, HVAC Board, Plumbing and Gas Board, Architect Board, etc.... Why not streamline all of these into one Building/Construction agency? One example. Then there is the by-product of so many stat employees---the pension system which is already in trouble financially. Why not privatize and bid out non-core or non-essential services or roles within our state government? Kick it to the private sector to do and save some state money...a business has flexibility to budget how it needs to budget along with that is built in accountability because if it, the private business, does a bad job the contract is in jeopardy.

Agency list: http://inform.alabama.gov/agencysearch.aspx

Bottom line is this:Medicaid and Prisons are the two biggest budget busters. No one wants to keep children from receiving quality care nor do they want criminals roaming free. Reforms must be made in these two areas for any significant budget resolution. Our state government is too big, too slow, too costly in size and scope--consolidate and reform it now before it gets worse.

This is must my thought...many other people with good ideas too.