From computer monitors to the state’s airplane, here’s how we can save $335 million

State Auditor Shad White on Monday released a study it commissioned to find government waste and said it identified more than $335 million in government fat that could be easily cut without having to bail out taxpayers.

White paid a Massachusetts consulting group $2 million for the study. He gave the Boston Consulting Group a directive find at least $250 million in wasteful spending among the 13 state agencies he examined.

It appears that White and Gov. Delbert Hosemann have each indicated they have gubernatorial aspirations for 2027 and they sparred with each other politically — will have a showdown with government weight-loss initiatives. Hosemann recently said he wants the legislation to reorganize and consolidate state government.

During Monday’s livestreamed press conference and public presentation, White called his study “long overdue” and “A roadmap to a leaner, more modern state government that saves money… to make sure we get the most bang for our buck.” He said the examination “did not reveal any criminal findings… but we found inefficiencies.”

Mississippi has more than 200 agencies, boards and commissions and a state support budget of more than $7 billion.

White’s report recommends that the state consolidate its purchases and seek better deals when purchasing goods and services. For example, the study notes that the state purchasing Dell computers “pays a higher price in some cases than individual consumers could find on Dell’s consumer website.” It noted state agencies paying $245 for a computer monitor that citizens can purchase for $195 and which can be purchased for $130 through a federal government purchase agreement available to state and local governments.

Much of the Boston consultant’s report to White covers potential savings or overspending that others – including White – have highlighted in the past. That includes spending on state buildings and office space, which some lawmakers and others have questioned for years, as well as government travel, which the media has examined. There were also potential savings from consolidating purchasing and back office functions, something others have advocated for in the past, usually with minimal success.

The report found that compared to other states, Mississippi’s government spends too much on office space and insurance for state buildings and on advertising and public relations for state agencies.

White said some government offices require 800 square feet per employee and, “We often rent space that we don’t need.”

White also said Mississippi could sell the state’s plane, like 18 other states, and force officials to use commercial or charter flights, thereby saving more than $1 million a year.

The consultant’s study focused on some of the state’s largest agencies, including the departments of Education, Corrections, Revenue, Medicaid, Public Safety and Finance and Administration. The agencies most frequently investigated are those that report directly to Gov. Tate Reeves. On Monday, White praised the governor for his cooperation in the study.

Most of White’s proposed savings in Project Momentum report. would require legislative action. He said Monday that many lawmakers were eagerly awaiting his report and hoped they would “look at this very carefully.”

Neither Hosemann, who oversees the state Senate, nor Speaker Jason White, who oversees the House, immediately responded to a request for comments sent to their offices on Monday.

The report recommends that the state “run more like a business” and that Mississippi leaders “ruthlessly eliminate or change ineffective programs” to save taxpayers money.

“The nature of government is for people to forget what happened yesterday and to forget what went wrong yesterday, and the nature of government is to do nothing,” White said.