NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW
MIKE CARROLL, C.P.A.
"The (Policy) Foundation's establishment of the Arkansas Efficiency
Project in 2015 ... was instrumental in beginning the movement ... My
administration's Office of Transformation and the state's Transformation
Advisory Board are products of the project and strive to apply efficiency
initiatives recommended by the report, as well as organize the state's plan of
action for transformation." Gov. Asa Hutchinson, January 16, 2019
(September 2019) Fort
Smith accountant Mike Carroll has played an important role in Gov. Asa
Hutchinson's plan to reorganize Arkansas state government. Mr. Carroll chaired the Transformation
Advisory Board, a 15-member citizens panel that made policy recommendations to
the Hutchinson administration.
"Transformation is a
key priority of mine," Hutchinson said in announcing the Board in February
2017. "I will continue to maintain that focus as we look for better ways
to run state government, reduce bureaucracy, and increase the level of savings
to the state and taxpayer."1 In May 2017, Mr. Carroll told media, “I think it will be really interesting to hear from
the citizens of Arkansas as to things that they would like to see improved,
things that they think can be improved, and their ideas to do that.”2 The Board's
work, which ended in late 2018, served as the foundation for the reorganization
plan enacted this year.
The
Policy Foundation recently interviewed Mr. Carroll, a 1977 graduate of Ouachita
Baptist University about efforts to transform Arkansas state government by
making it more efficient.
Policy Foundation: How did your background as an accountant inform your public service as
Chairman of the Transformation Advisory Board?
Mike Carroll, C.P.A.: I have been assisting
business executives solve problems in their organizations for over 40
years. So, when Governor Hutchinson asked me to participate in this
important project, I saw it as no different than I have been doing throughout
my career. In addition, passionate involvement in the communities in
which our offices are located is an important element of our firm
culture. It is just one way that our members give back to the communities
that have been so kind to our firm over the years.
Policy Foundation: How
important is accounting to the reorganization's future success?
Mike Carroll, C.P.A.: Governor Hutchinson made it clear from the
very beginning that the goals of his transformation initiative are
multifaceted: 1) to improve services to Arkansans…not reduce…but, to
improve; 2) improve management efficiency; and, 3) save tax dollars by reducing
the cost required to run state government. The transformation legislation
requires that periodic information be made available reporting the progress of
the transformation initiative. The ability to capture the information
representing improvements in taxpayer service as well as quantify the savings
achieved through the reorganization will be extremely important to demonstrate
the success of Governor Hutchinson’s
Transformation Initiative.
Policy Foundation: More than
half of the Board members were citizen-volunteers from the private
sector. What does that say about citizens' ability to make a difference
in Arkansas?
Mike Carroll, C.P.A.: Governor Hutchinson was
very intentional in selecting the members of the Transformation Advisory Board
to assist Chief Transformation Officer, Amy Fecher.
He assembled a group of people with diverse backgrounds…some with extensive
knowledge of Arkansas state government as employees of state agencies or
legislators……others with limited knowledge of state government, but, significant
experience in business…plus a couple of members from the field of
education. This diversity of backgrounds allowed for robust discussion as
we worked thru the various components of Governor Hutchinson’s transformation
plans. It was very humbling and gratifying to work with such a talented,
committed and passionate team on the transformation initiative. (Editor's
Note: Policy Foundation Chairman George Dunklin, Jr., was an Advisory Board
member).
Policy Foundation: What
should taxpayers expect from the Board's work and state government
reorganization?
Mike Carroll, C.P.A.: Arkansans should expect to see the achievement
of the goals that Governor Hutchinson laid out at the beginning of the
process. Improved taxpayer services provided in a more efficient way that
will result in a reduction in the cost to run the business of Arkansas state
government. I hope that Arkansans will not be satisfied unless these
goals are achieved.
Policy Foundation: The
reorganization establishes a new Department of Transformation and Shared
Services. Why is this agency important to efficiency in government?
Mike Carroll, C.P.A.: For transformation to be effective, it must become a part of the DNA of
Arkansas state government. This isn’t a “one and done” program. Transformation
must always be in the thought process of state government. The Department
of Transformation and Shared Services is critical. It elevates
transformation to a cabinet level position so that it will always be a point of
focus as the cabinet secretaries meet with the Governor for discussion and
implementation of strategic initiatives. From
the perspective of Shared Services, this will result in a streamlined structure
to provide the services that are required by all departments of the state (such
as human resources and information technology). The result will be that
the services will be provided in a more consistent, uniform, effective and
efficient way. It will also be scalable. This is a model that
successful businesses in Arkansas utilize. It certainly will be
beneficial for our state government as well. This is an area of incredible
opportunity in the transformation initiative as these “back office” operations
are consolidated into a comprehensive department that will oversee the services
for all state agencies.
Policy Foundation: Did the
Board address the issue of reducing paperwork and/or regulations?
Mike Carroll, C.P.A.: Embracing evolving technology has great
opportunity to improve and streamline the delivery of services to Arkansans and
will be a significant component of transformation. Bringing the Department
of Information Services into the Department of Transformation and Shared
Services is indicative of the importance that improved technology plays in
accomplishing effective transformation.
Policy Foundation: The last
major reorganization in Arkansas occurred nearly 50 years ago. How will
reorganization change Arkansas for our children and grandchildren in the next
50 years?
Mike Carroll, C.P.A.: Things have never been better in Arkansas
than they are today. Record low unemployment rates, record numbers of
Arkansans employed, great improvement in the quality of life around the
state. As good as things are, there is still so much that needs to be
done to position our state for a brighter future. Six of my nine
grandchildren are residents of the state of Arkansas ranging in age from 15 to
5. My desire is that they will not need to leave Arkansas to pursue
whatever opportunities God may have in their future. Making our
state government run more efficiently, both in providing services and from a
cost perspective, will allow continued reductions in our state income tax
structure. This is a major component in continuing to
make our state an attractive home for future generations of
Arkansans.
Thank you Mike Carroll.
1https://governor.arkansas.gov/news-media/press-releases/governor-hutchinson-announces-creation-of-transformation-advisory-board
2 https://www.arkansasnews.com/news/20170518/governor-seeks-arkansans8217-ideas-for-improving-government