Politics Alabama
State Budget Facts
This page was last updated: 31 January, 2009
Budget information:
The State of Alabama stores budget information online dating back to 1997. Below are links for the different budgetary information available for download. The change amounts are given both in millions of dollars and in a percentage change. This chart makes it easy to track budget changes over time, and more detailed information on appropriations can be obtained by clicking on the links. Because the links to the actual source documents published by the state are included on this page, the total figures provided here can be easily verified for accuracy.
State General Fund Total Expenditures 1-Year Change Change Since 1997
FY1997 Appropriations $6,089,254,763
FY1998 Appropriations $7,662,128,455 + $1,572 (+25.8%) + $ 1,572 (+25.8%)
FY1999 Appropriations $6,634,136,980 - $1,027 (-13.5%) + $ 544 (+ 8.9%)
FY2000 Appropriations $7,140,227,569 + $ 506 (+ 7.6%) + $ 1,050 (+17.2%)
FY2001 Appropriations $7,775,941,806 + $ 635 (+ 8.9%) + $ 1,686 (+27.6%)
FY2002 Appropriations $8,622,842,309 + $ 846 (+10.9%) + $ 2,533 (+41.6%)
FY2003 Appropriations $9,534,203,748 + $ 911 (+10.5%) + $ 3,444 (+56.5%)
FY2004 Appropriations $9,673,922,243 + $ 139 (+ 1.4%) + $ 3,584 (+58.8%)
FY2005 Appropriations $10,026,782,178 + $ 352 (+ 3.6%) + $ 3,934 (+64.6%)
FY2006 Appropriations $11,204,986,055 + $1,178 (+11.8%) + $ 5,115 (+84.0%)
FY2007 Appropriations $10,986,403,351 - $ 218 (- 1.9%) + $ 4,897 (+80.4%)
FY2008 Appropriations $11,353,655,734 + $ 367 (+ 3.4%) + $ 5,093 (+86.5%)
FY2009 Appropriations $11,821,866,579 + $ 486 (+ 4.1%) + $ 5,732 (+94.1%)
Average yearly growth: $ 479 million (6.05%)
Education Trust Fund Total Expenditures 1-Year Change Change Since 1997
FY1997 Appropriations $6,289,663,463
FY1998 Appropriations $6,492,520,638 + $ 202 (+ 3.2%) + $ 202 (+ 3.2%)
FY1999 Appropriations $6,874,726,313 + $ 382 (+ 5.8%) + $ 585 (+ 9.3%)
FY2000 Appropriations $7,358,617,343 + $ 483 (+ 7.0%) + $ 1,068 (+16.9%)
FY2001 Appropriations $7,537,441,009 + $ 178 (+ 2.4%) + $ 1,247 (+19.8%)
FY2002 Appropriations $7,793,977,082 + $ 256 (+ 3.4%) + $ 1,504 (+23.9%)
FY2003 Appropriations $8,336,678,384 + $ 542 (+ 6.9%) + $ 2,047 (+32.5%)
FY2004 Appropriations $8,907,282,531 + $ 570 (+ 6.8%) + $ 2,617 (+41.6%)
FY2005 Appropriations $9,380,415,860 + $ 473 (+ 5.3%) + $ 3,090 (+49.1%)
FY2006 Appropriations $10,491,413,118 + $1,111 (+11.8%) + $ 4,201 (+66.8%)
FY2007 Appropriations $11,776,227,885 + $1,285 (+12.2%) + $ 5,486 (+87.2%)
FY2008 Appropriations $12,599,652,014 + $ 823 (+ 6.9%) + $ 6,309(+100.3%)
FY2009 Appropriations $12,617,830,974 + $ 18 (+ 0.1%) + $ 6,328(+100.6%)
Average yearly growth: $527 million (5.98%)
Total State Budget Total Expenditures 1-Year Change Change Since 1997
FY1997 Appropriations $12,378,918,226
FY1998 Appropriations $14,154,649,093 + $1,775 (+14.3%) + $ 1,775 (+14.3%)
FY1999 Appropriations $13,508,863,293 - $ 645 (- 4.5%) + $ 1,129 (+ 9.1%)
FY2000 Appropriations $14,498,844,912 + $ 989 (+ 7.3%) + $ 2,119 (+17.1%)
FY2001 Appropriations $15,313,382,815 + $ 814 (+ 5.6%) + $ 2,934 (+23.7%)
FY2002 Appropriations $16,416,819,391 + $1,103 (+ 7.2%) + $ 4,037 (+32.6%)
FY2003 Appropriations $17,870,882,132 + $1,454 (+ 8.8%) + $ 5,491 (+44.3%)
FY2004 Appropriations $18,581,204,774 + $ 710 (+ 3.9%) + $ 6,202 (+50.1%)
FY2005 Appropriations $19,407,198,038 + $ 825 (+ 4.4%) + $ 7,028 (+56.7%)
FY2006 Appropriations $21,696,399,173 + $2,289 (+11.8%) + $ 9,317 (+75.2%)
FY2007 Appropriations $22,762,631,236 + $1,066 (+ 4.9%) + $10,384 (+83.9%)
FY2008 Appropriations $23,953,307,748 + $1,190 (+ 5.2%) + $11,574 (+93.5%)
FY2009 Appropriations $24,439,697,553 + $ 486 (+ 2.0%) + $12,061 (+97.4%)
Average yearly growth: $1,005 million (5.91%)
Analysis
In 2008, overall budget growth was a relatively anemic 2%, compared to the 12-year average of almost 6%. The ETF saw only very modest increases, but the GF grew by almost half a billion. But the worsening economic climate makes these spending increases indefensible, and also makes proration much more likley. But even though Alabama has seen proration more than once since 1997, overall spending actually decreased only once, in the FY1999 budget. In every other year, spending has increased steadily over the years. Since 1997, the Alabama State Budget has increased by an average of $1.005 BILLION per year, for an average spending increase of 5.91% per year. During the 2004 Legislative session, much was made of an expected "shortfall". Despite these predictions, we ended the fiscal year with a $250 million surplus... and that on top of a $1.5 billion spending increase over FY2003. The FY2006 budget saw an overall spending increase in double digits for the first time since FY1998.
As can be easily seen by looking at the figures, and despite almost continuous complaints about insufficient funds, the Alabama State government has managed to steadily increase it's spending rates over the years. In FY2005, the Governor and the Legislature claimed that they "slashed spending" to bring the cost of government under control, but the budget numbers do not reflect that. Calls for tax increases can and do ring hollow when it is clear that the State Budget is growing at such a rate without them.
Additional Information
In recent years, the budget office has taken to publishing agency by agency budget details. These details can be obtained by following these links:
