During a recent budget hearing before the Arkansas General Assembly, legislators pressed to understand what budget savings were made available through the recent government transformation effort that consolidated 42 government agencies into 15 departments. The members expressed a need to realize budgetary savings to help afford recently approved tax cuts and additional tax cuts that may be pursued. In addition, members of the legislature expressed concerns for revenue shortfalls resulting from the economic downturn associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The state budget director and the Secretary of Transformation and Shared Services indicated that savings have been realized, and more are expected, but they've yet to officially account for those to know and understand the full impact of the effort to better streamline state government. The also pointed out that the transformation efforts were about more than just cost savings and include general efficiencies and improved government services.
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https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/nov/09/data-sought-on-agency-changes/?news