What DOGE Can Learn from the States: Jonathan Williams & Lee Schalk in Washington Examiner
Jonathan Williams, ALEC President and Chief Economist, and Lee Schalk, ALEC Senior Vice President of Policy, recently coauthored a Washington Examiner op-ed highlighting how DOGE can follow states’ lead with balanced budgets & performance-based reform.
President Donald Trump is taking bold action to cut bureaucratic bloat by launching the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and issuing an executive order to dissolve the Department of Education, shifting power back to the states. Millions of Americans, frustrated by Washington’s wasteful spending, support this effort. As states take advantage of this moment to protect taxpayers, DOGE should follow their lead and adopt proven, state-level reforms.
The states are ripe with examples of successful cost-cutting measures. One difference between states and Washington, D.C., is that all 50 states, except Vermont, are required by law to balance their budgets. Some of these balanced budget rules are clearly better than others, but this mandate forces states to practice fiscal discipline, unlike the federal government, where the national debt has reached $36.6 trillion, or over $323,000 per taxpayer.
Washington state demonstrated this discipline over 20 years ago when it faced a $2.4 billion deficit. Under Democratic Governor Gary Locke, the state balanced its budget without raising taxes by abandoning the wasteful “cost-plus” budgeting approach. Instead, it implemented bipartisan, priority-based budgeting—ranking programs by importance and alignment with strategic goals. This shift also prompted agencies to define clear missions, increasing focus and accountability.
Priority-based budgeting asks fundamental questions about good government. What is the role of government? What are the essential services a government must provide to fulfill its purpose? How will we know if a government is doing a good job? What should this cost? When cuts must be made, how will they be properly prioritized?