Budget Cuts

Budgets Cuts

PPA 601

The Alabama Department of Public Safety (DPS) has not received sufficient funding from the general funds from the State of Alabama for the last two years, has been ordered by Governor Bentley to cut their current underfunded budget by 10% for the fiscal year of 2013. "The budget is a plan of action that links specific tasks with the resources necessary to accomplish those tasks over a definite time period; typically one year, which is known as a fiscal year"( Cropf, 2008). DPS is required by state statute to issue driver licenses and non-driver identification cards to the residents of this state. These budget cuts could lead to the closing of all the Driver License offices except for Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile. This would create a tremendous burden and inconvenience to the general public. The wait time for applicants would be astronomical. It could take days to weeks for someone to be able to schedule an appointment for a Driver License or non-Driver Identification Card. Hundreds of applicants would be turned away each day. Those who failed the test would have a very long wait until they could retest. This would be disastrous to the business community, especially to those dependent on commercial drivers. Out of state applicants would be forced to drive on their former state's driver licenses, this forcing them to violate the law. The amount of funds delivered to the general fund would decrease due to the decrease in the number of documents issued on a daily basis.

In order to accomplish a 10% budget reduction, it will be necessary for the Driver License Division to lay off 109 (94 civilians and 15 sworn officers), resulting in a 31% staff reduction. This reduction in staffing will dramatically affect all Division operations, and will result in the elimination of critical services to the public. All Suspension hearings will be eliminated, resulting in citizens not having the opportunity to have their licenses reinstated. Sworn Officers will not be available, compromising the security of DPS premises and the safety of civilian personnel and the public at Division facilities. No sworn personnel will be available to serve arrest warrants in most cases. Fraud and Identity theft cases will not be investigated, resulting in continued crimes against the public. Supervisory staff will be significantly reduced, resulting in diminished productivity by remaining personnel, and increased errors in operations. Telephone wait times and failures to answer will be dramatically increased. The loss of clerical staff will increase the workload of remaining personnel, detracting from their primary responsibilities and decreasing productivity. The Division will be unable to enter convictions and other actions into driving records in a timely manner, resulting in continued vehicle operation by unqualified drivers,