Kay Ivey proclaims Aug. 31 as College Colors Day in Alabama
College Colors Day is an annual celebration dedicated to promoting the traditions and spirit that make the college experience great. Celebrated annually the Friday before Labor Day, Gov. Kay Ivey proclaimed Alabama will participate in the national event August 31 on the steps of the state capitol on Friday. She was joined by school representatives and mascots from Alabama’s 14 public universities and colleges to promote the upcoming day and encouraged all Alabamians to wear their favorite school’s colors. “In partnership with @ALHigherEd, I’m very proud to proclaim August 31 as College Colors Day in Alabama. I encourage everyone to participate in this annual tradition & proudly wear your favorite college colors to support our 14 public universities!” Ivey tweeted Friday morning. Check out more pictures from Friday’s announcement:
2018 statewide election ad roundup: August 24 edition
The November 6 general election is less than 80 days away and Alabama’s candidates have taken to the internet and the airwaves with campaign ads in hopes of swaying Yellowhammer State voters to their side. This week, only Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walt Maddox released a new ad. Maddox has called Governor Kay Ivey to debate him several times, and each time she’s dismissed his proposals saying; “When he finishes debating himself he can talk.” In response, Maddox has released a series of ads where an invisible announcer addresses an empty debate podium labelled “Kay Ivey,” asking the podium a series of questions. The empty podium never answers; leaving the announcer to ask “Governor Ivey? Governor?” Maddox then responds to the question himself, securing his positions on issues from his pro-life stance, to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh‘s confirmation. This week Maddox addresses a series of topics including corruption and ethics laws, former Chief Justice Roy Moore‘s misconduct, and infrastructure. Gubernatorial ads Democrat Walt Maddox: Title: Debate Topic #3: Corruption and Ethics Laws Published: August 16, 2018 Tone: Scornful Title: Debate Topic #4: Roy Moore’s Misconduct Published: August 21, 2018 Tone: Optimistic Title: Debate Topic #5: Roads, Bridges and other Infrastructure Published: August 23, 2018 Tone: Outraged
Personnel Note: Jon Barganier leaving Kay Ivey staff to head Alabama Petroleum Council
Governor Kay Ivey‘s Deputy Chief of Staff Jon Barganier is leaving his long-time post in Alabama’s capitol to serve as the Executive Director for the Alabama Petroleum Council. Barganier earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama, majoring in Journalism, then attended Auburn University at Montgomery to earn an M.B.A. while working at the State Department of Finance. He has served in Montgomery since 2006, beginning his career as a state planning analyst and division manager of IT Operations at the Alabama Department of Finance. From there, he served as the Director of the Executive planning Office in the same department. After a brief one-year stint in the private sector he joined former Governor Robert Bentley‘s staff as a legislative liaison working his way through the ranks to become the deputy chief of staff, and finally Bentley’s chief of staff, according to his LinkedIn profile. He’s since served as Ivey’s deputy chief of staff for over a year; his resignation goes into effect August 31. According to Yellowhammer News, “the Alabama Petroleum Council is a division of the American Petroleum Institute and represents upstream (exploration and production) and downstream (refining, supply, marketing and transportation) interests and investments of major integrated oil and natural gas companies.”
Report says 1,200 bridges in Alabama are structurally deficient
The American Road and Transportation Builders Association released a report earlier this year on deficient bridges in the United States, saying 1,200 bridges in Alabama are structurally deficient. According to the report: there are 16,128 bridges in the state, and 1,200 of those bridges (7.4 percent) are structurally deficient. Alabama ranked number 17 overall in the U.S. Some experts believe Alabama’s infrastructure problems might cause harm to the state’s economic development efforts, and several of the top-tier state office candidates have commented on how badly the state needs an infrastructure boost. “Portions of our interstate are simply uncomfortable to drive upon, various bridges in every portion of the state are too dangerous for use, and, as someone who travels a great deal through rural Alabama, I can attest that the roads often feel like driving on broken pie crust,” Guntersville-Republican, State Rep. and Lieutenant Governor candidate Will Ainsworth wrote. Shashi Nambisan, executive director of the Alabama Transportation Institute at the University of Alabama, told the Alabama Newscenter, that statistics show the state’s infrastructure needs action now. “Over the last 25 years, there has been a tremendous increase in population, about 20 percent, (an) increase in the number of registered vehicles across the state and, most importantly, the vehicle miles driven across the state,” Nambisan said. “At the same time, we have had just a nominal 14 percent increase in the capacity, the number of new lanes or new lane miles that have been added.” Some of the most traveled bridges in the state in need of repairs are in the Jefferson and Mobile counties, two of the most populated counties in the state. Other key findings of the report were: 20 structurally deficient bridges in the state are on the Interstate Highway System. Over the last five years, bridge investment has accounted for 26.3 percent of highway and bridge contract awards in the state, compared to an average of 28.9 percent nationwide.2 Over the last 10 years, 872 new bridges have been constructed in the state; 90 have undergone major reconstruction. The state has identified needed repairs on 8,572 bridges; which the state estimates will cost $15.3 billion.
Martha Roby: Dismantling the regulatory regime
Throughout the eight long years of the Obama Administration, Alabamians suffered under an overly-empowered regulatory state that burdened hardworking men and women and their businesses with countless harmful federal regulations. This type of overreach was seen across the many federal agencies, but perhaps none more blatantly than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I am very pleased that over the last year and a half, our unified Republican government has worked to dismantle this Obama-era regulatory regime. I am glad to report that important progress has been made recently, as the Trump Administration’s EPA announced it intends to replace the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan with President Donald Trump’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. This is great news that represents an important step towards returning power to the states and further breaking down the regulatory state. When the Obama Administration first rolled out its so-called “Clean Power Plan,” they touted it as the “single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against global climate change.” What they didn’t say was that despite the significant increase it caused in energy bills, the “Clean Power Plan” actually didn’t do much to alter the impact of future climate change. Under this plan, the EPA implemented stringent regulations that limited carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, thus hiking rates and shutting down energy plants – especially in the coal industry. Of course, I think we can all agree that achieving more affordable, reliable, and safe energy is a priority, but adding more regulations and burdensome expenses to Americans are not solutions. That’s why the Trump Administration’s proposed ACE rule is so important. The rule would empower states with the flexibility to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing modern, reliable, and affordable energy for the American people. This is a far better solution than the Obama Administration’s “one-size-fits-all” approach that treated every state the same. It’s no secret that for eight years, the EPA and other federal agencies went beyond their rightful authority and pushed for unnecessary regulations that negatively impacted our economy, discouraged investment, and stifled job creation here in the United States. These agencies became known for “backdoor legislating” by frequently attempting to circumvent Congress to set policy. I am proud that over the last year and a half, Congress has worked to reverse course by passing several Congressional Review Acts, which is the process of striking rules and regulations left over from previous administrations. These actions, along with the steps taken by the Trump Administration, have already and will continue to unleash our nation’s economy. Among the many challenges we continue to face as a nation, I believe making America energy independent and not reliant on foreign nations must continue to be a priority. While I am pleased that energy exploration methods have improved over the years, we must continue to look for ways to secure America’s energy for future generations. I believe American innovation and our entrepreneurial spirit are the keys to meeting the energy challenges of the 21st Century. President Trump’s proposed ACE plan embraces this outlook and will give Alabama companies certainty to create jobs and prosper as we move forward. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
Women-owned businesses flourishing in Alabama, but down in Birmingham
Alabama ranks near the bottom of the barrel in far too many lists. But when American Express released their 2018 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report that details trends and ranks the nation’s top metro areas on Friday the Yellowhammer State actually did really well. According to the report, Alabama has an estimated 152,800 women-owned businesses — defined as businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by one or more females — that employ 110,500 with revenues of roughly $18.7 billion. The report analyzed data from U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners and factoring in relative changes in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It’s findings indicate more women started businesses in the U.S. between 2017 and 2018 than in any period over the past 15 years. In fact, women started an average of 1,821 new businesses a day in the U.S. in the past 12 months. A closer look at Alabama Alabama is ranked 17th in growth of number of women-owned firms since 2007 with a 42.2 percent increase among all 50 states and Washington, D.C., 35th in growth of jobs created with a 9.7 percent increase and 36th in growth of firm revenues with a 25.1 percent increase. But the news isn’t as good for Birmingham. While the area ranks 37th in growth of number of women-owned firms among the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas with a 33.6 percent increase over the past 11 years, the number of women-owned firms decreased 4.7 percent in the past year. Neverhtless, Birmingham still ranks 44th in growth of jobs created with a 5.9 percent increase and 35th in growth of firm revenues with a 25.7 percent increase. Other findings Below are some other interesting facts from the report: Over the last 11 years, all businesses increased by 12 percent, while the number of women-owned businesses has soared 58 percent. Four out of every 10 businesses (40 percent) in the United States are now women-owned. Women-owned businesses employ eight percent of the total private sector workforce and contribute 4.3 percent of total revenues. It’s not just businesses owned by white women that are growing: The number of firms owned by minority women has grown a whopping 163 percent since 2007. Nearly half of women business owners are between the ages of 45 and 65 (48 percent) and 67 percent are 45 or older.
Parker Snider: Limited government demands more, not less, of Alabama
In Alabama, politicians and residents alike proclaim the benefits of limited government. Appropriately, our state’s motto is Audemus jura nostra defendere, which, when translated into the more popular language of English, reads “We dare defend our rights”. The phrase in original context––an 18th century poem by Sir William Jones––is followed by the potential thief of rights: “the tyrant while they wield the chain”, i.e. the government. Promoting limited government, evidently, is woven into what it means to be ‘Alabama’, and rightly so. Public office holders, candidates, and voters regularly point to the necessity of a limited government, as it is through limited government that our freedoms remain intact. What is not as often discussed, unfortunately, is that smaller or limited government requires larger voluntary community engagement. This is true because there will always be gaps where government could arguably be active. Limited government, by definition, means that there will be some spaces, some needs or hopes of the community or community members, that are not met by a central power. In states that don’t deem limited government as a highly as Alabama, these gaps tend to be filled by government. In a state like Alabama, however, these spaces are befittingly left to be filled by the private sector. The duty, therefore, of community members to selflessly and actively consider others is higher in a state that prioritizes limited government than in one that does not. Alabama, regrettably, yields ample problems that need innovative, community-based solutions. For example, metro Birmingham, the state’s primary economic powerhouse, is growing at a much more modest rate than peer cities like Nashville in terms of GDP and employment. A report by the “Building (It) Together” campaign also mentions that the metro area is losing workers while most peer cities are not. Obviously, these are problems if the state wants to thrive economically in the future. There, of course, are a variety of contributing causes to this economic underperformance, both in Birmingham and across the state. In order to address some of these underlying issues––and in light of our understanding of the responsibility of the private sector––the Alabama Policy Institute is participating in a community initiative we call Hiring Well, Doing Good. In short, Hiring Well, Doing Good takes aim at one of the systematic problems facing our state: chronic unemployment. Through working with community organizations including non-profits, foundations, and employers in the state, API plans to connect the chronically unemployed with training opportunities, professional development, and––ultimately––long-term employers. Our hope is to be a small part of solving the issues facing the Birmingham metro and Alabama as a whole. Regardless of what API is doing, the principle stands. Stalwarts of limited government must remember that limited government demands more, not less, of Alabama. ••• Parker Snider is Manager of Policy Relations for the Alabama Policy Institute, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization dedicated to strengthening free enterprise, defending limited government, and championing strong families.
Birmingham City Hall to close early Friday for strategic planning meeting
Birmingham City Hall will close at 12 p.m. on Friday and resume normal operating hours on Monday, according to Mayor Randall Woodfin. Woodfin made the announcement Friday morning on Facebook: Birmingham City Hall will close today, August 24, 2018 at 12 p.m. We will be conducting a strategic planning meeting with all city employees at that time. Normal operating hours will resume Monday, August 27. Alabama Today has reached out to the Mayor’s office for further detail about this meeting. This post will be updated once we hear back from them.
Federal Education Department proposes allowing guns in schools
The Education Department says it is weighing whether to allow states to use federal funds to purchase guns for schools, prompting a storm of criticism from Democratic lawmakers and educators. If approved, the plan would likely generate a lot of controversy at a time when a string of especially deadly school shootings earlier this year led to the rise of a powerful student-led gun control movement. A senior Trump administration official told The Associated Press on Thursday that the agency is reviewing legislation governing federal academic enrichment grants to see if the money can be used to buy firearms. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, said the bipartisan Every Student Success Act, passed in 2015, does not expressly prohibit or allow the use of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants for the purchase of firearms. The official said the agency received several letters asking it to clarify what those funds could be used for and began researching the issue. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who chairs a federal commission on school safety, has previously said that schools should have the option to arm teachers. The commission, formed in the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people, has been criticized for omitting the topic of gun control. The plan, first reported by The New York Times, prompted swift condemnation from Democratic lawmakers and many educators on Thursday, who accused the Trump administration of wanting to deprive students of much-needed mental health support and other resources in the interests of the National Rifle Association. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the idea “one of the most egregious, short-sighted and dangerous executive branch abuses of our education system in modern history.” “Secretary DeVos continues to lead an anti-student and anti-teacher campaign on behalf of special interests and the NRA that rejects proven and effective initiatives to ensure a safe, welcoming school climate for children,” she said. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, which was the site of the Sandy Hook school shooting, swiftly introduced an amendment that would block the Education Department from using the funds to arm schools. “The Secretary of Education cares more about the firearms industry’s bottom line than the safety of our kids, and that should scare parents to death,” he said. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, accused DeVos of trying “to do the bidding of the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers.” “Instead of after-school programs or counselors, programs that are critical for creating safe and welcoming schools and addressing the mental health needs of kids, DeVos wants to turn schools into armed fortresses and make kids and educators less safe,” Weingarten said in a statement. “She wants to turn the U.S. government into an arms dealer for schools. That’s insane,” she added. Martin West, professor of education at Harvard University, expressed skepticism. “It seems very hard to imagine that members of Congress drafting Title IV envisioned that the funds would be used to arm teachers,” West said. One of the requests for clarification came from Texas, where many school districts allow staff to carry weapons on campus. The Texas Education Agency said in a statement Thursday that it asked Washington for guidance in April after schools started asking whether they can use the grant money to cover the cost of guns. The problem took on even greater urgency in Texas after 10 people were killed in a school shooting outside Houston in May. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama, Birmingham preparing for economic impact of Opportunity Zones
A new national tax incentive program that some believe could be the most transformative economic development tool ever has communities in Alabama, led by Birmingham, preparing to cash in on its share of potentially trillions of dollars in new investment. Opportunity Zones are low-income census tracts with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent and a median family income of less than 80 percent of the statewide or area median income. The program was established as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 in hopes of spurring new investment into these areas. Alex Flachsbart is an attorney with Balch & Bingham and an expert on Opportunity Zones. He recently presented on the subject to members of the Economic Development Association of Alabama. “What it does is provides people with capital gains an incentive to put those gains back into low-income communities, to redeploy that capital to places that really need it,” he said. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey tasked the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs with choosing the 158 Opportunity Zones that Alabama would designate from the 629 eligible census tracts. The guidelines for Opportunity Zones are still being written, with the initial regulations expected this month and proposed regulations in place by year’s end. What is known is that those who have capital gains from the sale of everything from stocks to businesses can reinvest those gains into qualified projects within designated Opportunity Zones and receive tax deferral and reduction benefits over time. Birmingham and other cities want to be prepared when investors are ready to put capital gains into approved projects like startup businesses and real estate developments. Alabama has designated 158 census tracts as Opportunity Zones. (ADECA) The city is creating the Birmingham Inclusive Growth (BIG) Fund to attract investments in Opportunity Zones in the city. Josh Carpenter, director of innovation and economic opportunity, said Birmingham has to be ready now because it will be competing with cities across the country for those dollars. “We’re excited because Birmingham was able to secure 24 Opportunity Zones and also because we have a lot of investable assets here,” he said. Carpenter said the city is prepared to lead, direct and maximize investments in Opportunity Zones. He and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin see the city’s role as not only increasing quality of life and economic growth in neighborhoods but in helping investors. Carpenter said areas like the Innovation District, the Civil Rights District and the Fourth Avenue Business District, as well as the area around the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, all stand to initially benefit from Opportunity Zone investments. David Fleming, CEO of REV Birmingham, said he envisions communities in downtown Birmingham but also neighborhoods like Avondale, Woodlawn, East Lake and others benefiting. “I think the Opportunity Zone incentive that’s been created holds tremendous potential for Birmingham, especially since most of the city was able to be designated an Opportunity Zone,” he said. “That means that this is not just an incentive for downtown, but it’s an incentive that could encourage business investment as well as physical redevelopment in a wide range of the territory of the city.” Fleming said the best incentives help attract new capital, leverage private sector dollars and can be combined with incentives that a district or community has in place. “When you talk about the scope of the market for Opportunity Zones, you’re talking about the potential for $6.1 trillion worth of capital gains that could be flowing into communities all over the country,” Flachsbart said. In Alabama, every county has an Opportunity Zone. Alabama is preparing to tap into potentially trillions of dollars across the country that may invest in Opportunity Zones. (Economic Innovation Group/Alabama Newscenter) “Across the state, this incentive will be available for investment, not just in urban communities but rural ones, too,” Flachsbart said. Active businesses, startups and business that have been around that comply with certain tax rules are potential investments. New real estate construction projects, as well as qualified rehabilitation of older buildings, will be among the investments. Investors get the most benefit by investing in an Opportunity Zone for the long haul, Flachsbart said. “There are a series of incentives to sort of help them do that, but the basic point is the longer you hold your investment in one of those distressed areas, the more incentive you get as an investor,” he said. “We’re hoping that this program will really catalyze getting investment off the coast and into places like Alabama.” Investors are anxious to put their capital gains into Opportunity Zones, Flachsbart said. “Interestingly, you’re already starting to see money flow through this program now,” he said. “That’s what’s amazing about this program is the level of excitement within the investor community around what’s going on.” Investors are putting money into one-off projects now but as regulations are approved, the expectation is that large, national funds will be created to invest in Opportunity Zones based on the best chance to enhance investment. “What we have to remember is, here in Alabama, while we’ve got 158 incredible Opportunity Zones, we’re competing with places all over the country,” Flachsbart said. “What we need here in Alabama is a strategy to ensure that we can get our share of that massive $6.1 trillion of potential dollars invested here.” Birmingham will be ready, Carpenter said. “We’re already putting things in place,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
AEA helps Irondale teachers fight back against city’s new occupational tax
Despite public outcry, the City of Irondale, Ala. unanimously approved and passed a one percent occupational tax during its Council Meeting back in May, which went into effect Aug. 1. The decision came in an effort to remedy the city’s $1.6 million budget deficit, due in part the city losing a big chunk of the yearly tax revenue when Sam’s Club closed. But a lot of people aren’t happy about it, including Irondale’s teachers. Which is why the Alabama Education Association (AEA) — statewide professional organization that represents public school employees in the state of — is now helping teachers in city fight back against the new occupational tax. “Public education employees cannot afford anything else to come out of their pay checks and that’s just the bottom line,” Tracee Binion, Uniserve Director for District 28, told WVTM-13. She said the tax could cost some teachers as much as $500 a year, leaving Irondale teachers to be paid less than their Jefferson County counterparts, despite also being located in Jefferson County. Teachers voice their disapproval In conjunction with school going to into session, earlier of this month dozens of Irondale teachers went down to City Hall to voice their disapproval. “We have many teachers..many of our child nutrition professionals couldn’t be here tonight and that is because they are working two jobs to be able to support themselves,” Dana Jacobson, the 2017 Alabama School Teacher of the Year, said according to WBRC. “There are some 25-year paraprofessionals that are bringing home less than $25,000 and that will take $250 out of their pay and when you think they could be living on this salary..that is a burden.” The AEA intends to file a motion against the city in the next few weeks.
