Wes Allen Rolls Out Plan to Trim Alabama’s Budget and Reward Employee Savings Ideas
State employees could receive up to $2000 for submitting cost-saving ideas
Republican Lt. Governor candidate and current Secretary of State Wes Allen has introduced a Budget Accountability and Responsibility (BAR) plan designed to cut State spending and return savings to taxpayers. The proposal, announced Thursday, seeks to tap into the knowledge of Alabama’s own workforce by offering cash bonuses to employees who find ways to make government more efficient.
Allen said his approach builds on changes already made in the Secretary of State’s office. “As Secretary of State, taxpayers are realizing approximately $2 million in savings during my term,” he noted in a statement. “Several cost-saving measures were suggested by staff members who identified more efficient and inexpensive ways to serve the public without sacrificing quality of service. The BAR plan expands that philosophy to the entirety of state government. It’s time to think big.”
The plan would create a website where employees could submit ideas for reducing costs and improving operations. A panel of cabinet members and legislators would review the suggestions and decide which ones to adopt. If a recommendation is implemented and saves money, the employee who submitted it would receive a bonus equal to 10 percent of the savings from the first three months, up to $2,000.
Allen believes the program could unlock major savings. “By incentivizing thousands of state employees to rethink the way they complete their job duties, we could potentially uncover millions of dollars in savings and increases in efficiency,” he said. “That is good for the employee and good for the taxpayer.”
With more than 30,000 people employed by the State of Alabama, the Secretary of State argues that the potential is significant. “As Lt. Governor, I will have the ability to expand upon the things that have worked in the Secretary of State’s office and apply it across the board,” Allen said. “The potential savings with this program makes it very exciting.”
Allen is serving as Alabama’s 54th Secretary of State and is seeking the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor in the May 19, 2026 primary.
To learn more about Wes Allen and his campaign go to WesAllenForAlabama.com or follow him on social media.
