Former Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson gives Mississippi lawmakers tips on streamlining government

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Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday shared with members of the Mississippi Senate’s Government Structure Committee that he was able to successfully streamline some of Arkansas’ government services without firing or laying off workers.

Hutchinson, who served as governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023, said he wanted to make restructuring state government a component of his legacy when he left office, and the reforms he made to the system have largely remained intact.

The two-term GOP governor recalled a recent conversation he had with an Arkansas lawmaker about the restructuring. Hutchinson asked the senator what the reaction has been to the reforms, and the legislator replied that it’s largely flown “under the radar.”

“And I said, ‘That’s the best answer I could ever have,’” Hutchinson said. “That means nobody’s trying to dismantle it. They’re accepting it as the way we do business in government today and I’m hopeful that it’ll be a lasting impact.”

When he began the effort to consolidate government functions, Hutchinson said he formed an advisory board to make recommendations. When he formed the board, he gave it three goals: promote efficiency and savings, increase managerial control and improve the delivery of services to taxpayers.

When he adopted the board’s recommendations, Hutchinson said he was able to reduce the state government workforce by 5,000 employees by instituting a flexible hiring freeze and deciding not to replace the jobs of certain positions once workers retired.

Hutchinson also consolidated various state boards and commissions, which he believes reduced the amount of money taxpayers were spending on rent for government offices.

Hutchinson mounted a brief, unsuccessful presidential bid earlier this year. He dropped out of the Republican primary in January. His testimony was part of a hearing the Senate Government Structure Committee conducted on restructuring Mississippi’s government.

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Former Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson gives Mississippi lawmakers tips on streamlining government

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