Greg visits with Stephanie Smith for a conversation about how Alabama’s state budgets are actually built and the forces that shape spending decisions in Montgomery. Many citizens hear about the General Fund and Education Trust Fund, but few understand the process lawmakers use to assemble these massive budgets each year.

Stephanie explains how the budgeting process works inside the Alabama Legislature, the priorities that often drive funding decisions. Part of the discussion focuses on the history and the political influence of the Alabama Education Association and how it affects education funding debates.

Greg and Stephanie also explore what greater transparency in the budgeting process could look like and why understanding the budget matters for Alabama taxpayers and families.