Senator Tommy Tuberville announces 12 Service Academy appointments
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville announced on Monday twelve Alabama students have accepted their appointments to a U.S. Service Academy, making the group Senator Tuberville’s second class of appointments since assuming office. “America’s national security depends on brave young men and women who are willing to serve in our armed forces,” said Sen. Tuberville. “I am proud that some of our most talented young Alabamians have stepped forward to answer the call to defend our country. They’ve worked extremely hard to receive their academy appointments, and I have no doubt they’ll continue to make our state and country proud.” A complete list of the students accepting appointments can be found below: United States Air Force Academy: · Pruitt Dobbs Bain: Son of Charles Mark and Ginger Bain; Montgomery, AL; Trinity Presbyterian Upper School · Carson James Hall: Son of Ray and Dawn Hall; Ranburne, AL; Ranburne High School · Patrick Christopher Davidson: Son of Rick and Kelly Davidson; Auburn, AL; Auburn High School · Jeff Kwon: Son of Kihwang and Mikyung Kwon; Montgomery, AL; Loveless Academic Magnet Program School · Jane Wright: Daughter of Hess and Carolyn Wright; Demopolis, AL; Demopolis High School United States Military Academy: · William Haddon James: Son of Scott and Jamie James; Birmingham, AL; Evangel Christian School · Samuel Cade Waggoner: Son of M. Hagan and Jennifer Baxtor Waggoner; Auburn, AL; Lee-Scott Academy United States Merchant Marine Academy: · Richard Joseph Schneider IV: Son of Richard and Trudy Schneider; Birmingham, AL; Oak Mountain High School · Calvin Burton: Son of Robert and Julianne Burton; Huntsville, AL; Grissom High School · Nathan Villamora: Son of Ernesto and Tahnia Villamora; Fairhope, AL; Marion Military Institute United States Naval Academy: · Connor Ramones: Son of Paul and Stephanie Ramones; Salem, AL; Smiths Station High School · John Isaac Roberts: Son of Benjamin W. and Jennifer H. Roberts; Andalusia, AL; Riff Valley Academy, Kijabe, Kenya U.S. Service Academies provide students wishing to serve our country’s military with a world-class education and the opportunity. Service academy appointees have to go through an extensive process to receive a nomination. Applicants complete the required ACT and SAT exams and provide letters of recommendation, a school transcript, and the required application form. Upon graduation, students must commit to five years of active duty. More information on how to apply for a service academy nomination can be found here. Tommy Tuberville was elected in 2020 to represent Alabama in the United States Senate. He is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House passes legislation to prevent local and county governments from using fuel taxes for purposes other than roads and bridges
Last week, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would prevent towns, cities, and counties from using fuel tax dollars for purposes other than roads and bridges. House Bill 254 (HB254) is sponsored by State Representative Steve Clouse. According to the synopsis, “Under existing law, gasoline and other motor fuel taxes levied by the state are restricted in use. Motor fuel taxes levied by municipalities and counties are not restricted in use. This bill would require a municipal or county that levies a motor fuel tax to use the proceeds for road and bridge construction and maintenance with certain exceptions.” “This bill has been around for a couple of years now,” Rep. Clouse said on the floor of the Alabama House. “There is an agreement worked out with the League of Municipalities.” Clouse explained that under the agreement – towns that already use some of their road dollars for things other than roads would be allowed to continue to use that money for where it is appropriated. Still, this legislation would prevent additional towns or counties from diverting the fuel taxes to purposes other than roads and bridges. Clouse explained that state motor fuel taxes all go to roads and bridge maintenance and construction, but at the state level, there is nothing to prevent local governments from diverting the funds. “I know of one that does with garbage,” Clouse answered when asked if there were local governments doing this. “There may be one that uses it for police or some other purpose.” Rep. Napoleon Bracy said, “For a couple of my cities, I can see this being not an issue at all. But for a couple of my cities, this could be a real hardship.” “That money is intended for streets and bridges,” Clouse said. “They need to use it to get those matching funds instead of using it for other things like pay raises for employees or parks.” Bracy said, “Local people know what they need.” “Now we are about to tell the cities and counties what to do with their portion of the gas tax dollars,” Bracy said. “Why are we doing the bill?” Clouse said, “There are a number of municipalities that have used their road and bridge money for other uses.” “We are trying to have different things for kids to do,” Bracy said. “How are we supposed to do those things without being able to use that money?” Clouse answered, “They have other resources,” Bracy responded, “Some cities don’t have other resources.” Rep. Juandalynn Givan asked Clouse, “What does this bill do?” Clouse answered, “From this point forward if you pass an additional fuel tax, it has to go for roads and bridges.” Clouse continued, “This is a compromise that has been worked out with the municipality association and the counties association.” “I am a little leery of this,” Givan said. “The most dangerous bill that comes through this house is one of these little one or two-page bills that have come with a lot of unintended consequences.” “If they use two cents (per gallon) for garbage, they can continue to use it for that,” Clouse said. “Once this bill passes, it has to go to roads and bridges, and they will have no leeway,” Rep. John Rogers said. “The Department of Transportation wants all the money,” Rogers said. “If I was working for the Department of Transportation, I would want this bill too, but if I was a mayor, I would want that leeway.” Clouse said, “I doubt that DOT even knows this bill is being considered.” The House voted to adopt the substitute. HB254 passed the House of Representatives 102 to 3. The bill is now in the Alabama Senate, where it has been referred to the Senate County and Municipal Government Committee. The committee will consider the legislation on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in the Finance and Taxation room on the eighth floor of the State House. Tuesday will be Day 19 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gov. Kay Ivey awards six Alabama companies with Trade Excellence
On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey hosted the Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards Ceremony. During the event, Governor Ivey signed a proclamation proclaiming May as World Trade Month. This year’s ceremony recognized six of Alabama’s top international trade exporters and finest trade companies, as well as the 2023 Trade Advocate of the Year. “I recognized @TuskegeeUniv and six Alabama companies for their trade success in the global market,” Gov. Ivey said on Twitter. “Their economic activities ranged from automotive manufacturing to food production.” The six exporters honored in the Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards were: · Adah International LLC · Bud’s Best Cookies · Canfor Southern Pine · Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama · ICONN Orthopedics · Pinnacle Solutions, Inc. “Their work has sparked record-breaking economic growth across the state,” Ivey stated. “Thanks to tremendous levels of innovation, craftsmanship, and ingenuity, Alabama’s talented workers turn out products that are in demand around the world,” Governor Ivey said. “These products really elevate the ‘Made in Alabama’ brand and transmit the message internationally that top-quality goods come from our state.” Governor Ivey presented Tuskegee University with a 2023 Governor’s Trade Excellence Award for extraordinary results in international initiatives that include partnerships with dozens of overseas universities and hosting students from more than 20 countries in recent years. Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “Alabama has a plethora of international trade partners that exemplify the Made in Alabama brand. The Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards gives outstanding organizations well-deserved recognition for their contributions to our state’s success in global markets. Considering the myriad of global disruption that has dominated worldwide news in recent years, it is impressive that Alabama maintained $25.5 billion in exports in 2023. Other countries have demonstrated a continued need for made-in-Alabama goods, especially in the industries of transportation, aerospace, chemicals, minerals, and paper products.” Greg Canfield is the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Exporting is a driving force in Alabama’s economy, providing benefits here at home that include new jobs and investments,” Sec. Canfield said. “The vision of our companies to be international leaders in their respective fields is most impressive, and we look forward to seeing their continued success in overseas markets.” Christina Stimpson is the Director of Commerce’s Office of International Trade. “We are proud to have worked with all the companies represented today and to have assisted them in identifying international opportunities,” Stimpson said. “The communities where they are located are fortunate to have them because, through exporting, they’re diversifying the economy, growing their production, and creating and sustaining jobs.” Alabama exports surged to a record $25.5 billion in 2022. The Department of Commerce’s Office of International Trade offers resources to assist Alabama companies enter new overseas markets. The Office uses its frequent trade and business development missions, training, foreign-market information, and international contacts to further Alabama companies’ international presence. “Economic development is a continuous process of cultivating relationships, investing in human capital, and working with communities to find their hidden talent within,” Jones explained. “Governor Ivey, the Alabama Department of Commerce, and leaders within the public and private sector work every day to make Alabama a place where a myriad of industries can grow and prosper.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt joins Tammy Baldwin and other bipartisan Senator to crack down on trade cheats
On Monday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt announced that she has joined U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin in co-sponsoring the Fighting Trade Cheats Act. This bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Thom Tillis and Sherrod Brown is intended to strengthen U.S. trade law enforcement and allow American manufacturers to take action against bad actors that engage in customs fraud. Sponsors say that the bill takes aim at companies that dump foreign-made goods into the United States and would allow private companies to sue foreign producers that harm American companies. By allowing private companies harmed by trade cheats to use their own resources to fight back, the bill would help address customs fraud and protect American workers and American jobs. “For far too long, the Chinese Communist Party and other bad actors have cheated American communities out of jobs, intellectual property, and opportunity,” said Sen. Britt. “This bipartisan effort holds foreign entities accountable for malicious trade practices that harm Alabama manufacturers – including our iron and steel industry – and the hardworking Alabamians and families that rely on them for their livelihood. I will continue to fight to ensure that the CCP is held accountable, that we onshore good-paying 21st-century jobs back to America, and that we strengthen our domestic supply chains and manufacturing base, especially in critical industries. This will help unlock the American Dream for families nationwide and keep our homeland safe and strong for generations to come.” “American workers and American businesses should be building our clean energy economy, but Chinese companies are working overtime to cheat the rules, our economy, and our workers out of the job,” said Sen. Baldwin. “Climate change is a real and pressing threat, and addressing it is an incredible opportunity to create good paying jobs in our Made in Wisconsin manufacturing economy. Developing our solar manufacturing industry is crucial to combating climate change, but we can’t do it if we don’t enforce the trade laws on the books and hold Chinese companies accountable. I am proud to take a stand for our Made in America manufacturing economy and workers.” “The Chinese Communist Party has a long history of violating trade agreements with the United States, costing North Carolina businesses and workers,” said Sen. Tillis. “I’m proud to co-introduce this bipartisan legislation to hold the CCP and other bad actors accountable and empower private American companies to take action and fight back against trade cheats.” American businesses supporting this bipartisan legislation include Birmingham-based McWane Incorporated, which manufactures pipes, valves, fire hydrants, and fittings used in the nation’s infrastructure. James Proctor II is the Senior Vice President & General Counsel for McWane. “Trade cheaters cost American jobs, plain and simple. This bill will give Customs and Border Protection and businesses the tools they need to stop lawless foreign importers from evading U.S. laws and destroying American industries and communities,” said VP Proctor II. “We thank Senators Britt and Baldwin for joining Senators Brown and Tillis in standing up for American workers and job creators and helping put a stop to such illegal activity.” Katie Britt was elected to the Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Montgomery Republican Party calls for punishment of Rep. Juandalynn Givan over verbal attack on Rep. Kenneth Paschal
Last Tuesday, State Representative Kenneth Paschal was presenting a bill, House Bill 6, a bill on parental rights. Paschal, the lone African American lawmaker elected as a Republican in over 130 years, was attacked by Democratic lawmakers. One Representative, Juandalynn Givan of Birmingham, went over the line when she referenced a song by the sometimes divisive performer Jay-Z to make a racial smear of Paschal, calling him the N-word by using the lyrics of the song – The Story of O.J. In response to the incident on the House floor, the Montgomery Republican Party has passed a resolution urging legislators to punish Givan for her conduct. “THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE JUANDALYNN GIVAN BEING REMOVED FROM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS ANDFORMALLY CENSURED BY THE ALABAMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.” The “Montgomery County Republican Executive Committee hereby formally condemns and censures State Representative Juandalynn Givan of Jefferson County for public behavior which is obscene, racially charged, morally crude, inconsistent with House Rule 50, and beneath the decorum of public office.” As punishment, the Montgomery County Republican Steering Committee is calling on “The Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives and the House Membership to formally remove State Representatives Juandalynn Givan from committee assignments and formally censure State Representatives Juandalynn Givan for her unprovoked and outrageous behavior in violation of human decency and the House Rules of Decorum.” Givan, for her part, has refused to apologize. “Rep. Paschal was vulgarly referred to as a term that is beneath the dignity and respect of any human being,” said Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl. “We cannot stand by and allow this honorable gentleman who served in uniform and continue to serve as a public servant with duty and commitment to be treated and referenced so vilely in violation of House Chamber decorum.” There have been other moments of controversial behavior on the floor in Givan’s legislative career. Paschal, for his part, is still asking for a vote on his bill that was carried over by the House after Givan’s outburst. “HB6 is a common sense bill,” Paschal said on the floor of the House, defending his legislation. “HB6 is a focus on two principles: God and Country.” “Parental rights are related to the noble duty of parents to raise their children,” Paschal said. “Parental rights are natural rights that cannot be taken away by any form of government.” Paschal was the President of the Alabama Family Rights Association (ALFRA) before being elected to the House of Representatives in a special election. “The child is not the mere creature of the state,” Paschal said. The Alabama House of Representatives will meet on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. for Day 19 of the 2023 Alabama Legislative Regular Session. HB6 is not on the proposed special-order calendar. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jimmy Rane: In the “game” of economic development, we must prioritize industrial site development in order to win
Economic development, job creation, and business recruitment are top priorities for elected officials, community leaders, and business leaders like myself who want to see our communities grow and economies thrive. Given the huge importance of a growing – or conversely, a shrinking – economy, it might sound strange to think of economic development as a “game,” but in many ways, it is. Just like the Southeastern Conference in collegiate sports, the Southeastern United States is also a league of rival teams; in this case, states competing against each other to win on major economic development opportunities. The way to win in this “game” of economic development is to attract industry to our state and to our communities. When I started YellaWood, my hometown of Abbeville was struggling. But as we continued to build out our operations and expand our manufacturing base, everything changed. Instead of being a community that was crumbling and where folks were leaving because of a lack of opportunities to be successful, Abbeville became a place that folks were moving to because of the new opportunities to have good jobs and provide for their families. With the growth of industry comes the jobs that communities depend on to be successful, as well as an increased tax base that can be leveraged to invest back into education, law enforcement, infrastructure, and countless other priorities that have a direct impact on people’s lives. Let’s take our state’s favorite sport, football, as an example – an area where we are certainly a national leader. What does a football team need to be successful? You need a good head coach, a quarterback and running back defended by a powerful offensive line, wide receivers who can make plays, and a defense that can stop opponents’ run-and-pass attacks and prevent opposing offenses from scoring points. Those are a lot of different pieces that all have to fit together to create a winning team. It is similar with states who are competing to win in the realm of economic development. Fortunately for our state, we have many of these pieces already in place. We have a strong, skilled workforce. We have a competitive, low-tax, low-regulation business environment. And thanks to a series of economic development incentives bills that were recently passed by our legislature and signed by my friend Governor Kay Ivey, we have a reinvigorated tool chest to make our state more appealing. But one area where our state, unfortunately, needs improvement is in our industrial sites. Just like how a coach looks for a good quarterback, linemen, and defensive backs, companies deciding where they would like to establish and expand their operations look for these economic assets. Quality industrial sites in the realm of economic development are just as important as a quarterback is in football. For companies to choose to invest in Alabama, they need access to shovel-ready industrial sites to create their manufacturing bases and be successful. Many of Alabama’s industrial sites simply do not have the infrastructure and resources that companies need, which makes it difficult for our state’s economic developers to win in their economic development efforts. This problem is exacerbated as our neighboring states are making ambitious investments into their industrial sites and are seeing great progress. If Alabama does not invest in its industrial sites now, we run the risk of falling behind the rest of the pack and losing out on important economic opportunities for our state’s future. We, as a state, have the opportunity to fix this problem. Thanks to the Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) Act that was signed into law this Spring, we have an opportunity to make our state the gold standard for companies looking to invest. If the SEEDS Act is fully funded, our state will have the ability to accelerate and expand our site preparation process, as well as Alabama’s inventory of available sites. Other states are making these investments. Not doing so would make about as much sense as a football team refusing to practice. If Alabama makes the investments now into our state’s critical industrial sites, we can win the game of economic development and beat Georgia, Tennessee, and other states when it comes to creating jobs and developing an economy for the future. Let’s put our state in a position to win and develop the industrial sites needed to compete. Jimmy Rane is the president and CEO at Great Southern Wood Preserving.
IRS data shows Alabama gained 21,000 taxpayers, $7.4B in income in 2020
According to recently-released Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data, the state of Alabama gained 21,532 taxpayers in 2020, which trails many of its neighboring states. Those taxpayers added more than $7.4 billion in adjusted gross income to the Yellowhammer State. The biggest destinations for Alabamians leaving the state were Georgia (14,323 new taxpayers), Florida (13,280), Tennessee (7,759), and Texas (7,265). The IRS data is based on tax returns filed in 2020 and 2021 that showed those who moved between 2019 and 2020. Non-filers are not represented in the data. The data showed that suburban populations are growing at the expense of Alabama’s largest cities, except for Huntsville. Madison County added 3,381 new residents. The county that added the most taxpayers was Shelby County, with 6,617 new residents, followed by Baldwin County, which added 6,061. Most of those who moved south on Interstate 65 to Shelby County were from neighboring Birmingham (Jefferson County), which lost a state-worst 4,892 taxpayers. Mobile also lost 1,195 taxpayers, most of those to Baldwin County across Mobile Bay. Montgomery County also had 1,018 taxpayers move out, mostly to suburban Elmore County. Florida enjoyed the biggest gains, with 257,487 taxpayers moving to the Sunshine State, followed by Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Alabama’s year to date revenues increased slightly in March
According to data from the Alabama Department of Revenue, tax revenue for the year to date was up 0.54% compared to the same period last year. Several tax cut bills signed into law last year by Gov. Kay Ivey are the reason April’s tax revenues were down 13.9% compared with April 2022, shrinking from $1.86 billion to $1.58 billion. One of the biggest increases were use tax, which increased by nearly 10% from $332 million in year to date 2022 to $365 million in 2023. Use tax revenues for April increased from $53.2 million in 2022 to $54.8 million. The use tax is levied on out-of-state sales, mostly from online retailers. Corporate income tax revenues were up by 5.27%, growing from $601 million in 2022 to $632 million. They increased from April 2022 ($273 million) by 6.46% this April ($293 million). Sales tax revenues were up slightly by 1.41%, growing from $285 million in April 2022 to $289 million this April. The state’s personal income tax revenues were down 37.5% from April 2022, shrinking from $776 million last year to $485 million this April. Among the tax relief measures Ivey signed in 2022 was House Bill 162, which exempted the first $6,000 of taxable retirement income for taxpayers ages 65 or older that went into effect on Jan. 1. She also signed a pair of bills that increased the standard deduction for married taxpayers filing jointly by $1,000 and $500 for single/head of household filers. The gross income qualifying threshold for the $1,000 dependent was increased from $20,000 to $50,000. Download PDF Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Teachers earn $67K on average. Is push for raises too late?
As schools across the country struggle to find teachers to hire, more governors are pushing for pay increases, bonuses, and other perks for the beleaguered profession — with some vowing to beat out other states competing for educators. Already in 2023, governors in Georgia and Arkansas have pushed through teacher pay increases. Ahead of Monday’s start of national Teacher Appreciation Week, others — both Republican and Democratic — have proposed doing the same to attract and retain educators. More than half of the states’ governors over the past year — 26 so far — have proposed boosting teacher compensation, according to groups that track it. The nonprofit Teacher Salary Project said it is the most it has seen in nearly two decades of tracking. “Today we have governors left and right from every political party and then some who are addressing this issue because they have to,” said founder and CEO Ninivé Caligari. “We’ve never seen what we are seeing right now. Never.” In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little is aiming to raise the state’s average starting salary into the nation’s top 10. In Delaware, Gov. John Carney said competition for teachers is more intense than ever, and a pay increase is necessary to “win the competition with surrounding states.” It’s not clear how far pay raises will go toward relieving the shortages, though, and some teachers say it is too little, too late to fix problems that are years in the making. Blame for teacher shortages has fallen on underfunding after the Great Recession, tight labor markets, lackluster enrollments in colleges and programs that train teachers, and teacher burnout inflamed by the travails of the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been no mass exodus, but data from some states that track teacher turnover has shown rising numbers of teachers leaving the profession over the past couple of years. Shortages are most extreme in certain areas, including the poorest or most rural districts, researchers say. Districts also report particular difficulties in hiring for in-demand subjects like special education, math, and science. Meanwhile, teacher salaries have fallen further and further behind those of their college-educated peers in other fields, as teachers report growing workloads, shrinking autonomy, and increasingly hostile school environments. Magan Daniel, who at 33 just left her central Alabama school district, was not persuaded to stay by pay raises as Alabama’s governor vows to make teacher salaries the highest in the Southeast. It would take big increases to match neighboring Georgia, where the average teacher salary is $62,200, according to the National Education Association. Fixing teachers’ deteriorating work culture and growing workloads would be a more powerful incentive than a pay raise, she said. She recalled, for instance, her principal asking her to make copies and lesson plans last fall while she was on unpaid maternity leave. Difficulty getting substitutes puts pressure on teachers who need time off for emergencies, she said, and spending nights and weekends on paperwork siphoned the joy out of teaching. “I would not go back just for a higher salary,” Daniel said. In Oklahoma, Joshua Morgan, 46, left his rural district a year ago because after 18 years he was still earning under $47,000. Oklahoma’s governor is talking about awarding performance bonuses, but Morgan said he would only go back to teaching for substantially more money — like $65,000 a year. The national average public school teacher salary in 2021-22 increased 2% from the previous year to $66,745, according to the NEA, the nation’s largest teachers union. Inflation peaked around 9% at the time. For new recruits, the math of paying for a college education is grim: The national average beginning teacher salary was $42,845 in 2021-22, according to the NEA. Teachers do often qualify for public service loan forgiveness, which forgives their student debt after they’ve made 10 years of monthly payments. Besides fewer teachers getting certified, the “teacher pay penalty” — the gap between teacher salaries and their college-educated peers in other professions — is growing. It reached a record 23.5% in 2021, with teachers earning an average 76.5 cents for every dollar earned by other college-educated professionals, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. It has been widening for decades, researchers say. For men, it is 35%, and for women, it is 17% — reflecting the gender pay gap seen across the U.S. economy. For Rachaele Otto and other Louisiana teachers, the prospect of a $3,000 salary increase proposed by the governor might be appreciated. But at roughly $200 a month after taxes, it’s not enough to keep a teacher who feels burned out or demoralized, Otto said. “I know there are teachers willing to take pay cuts to leave the profession,” said Otto, 38, a science teacher in a rural Louisiana district. “If you double the salary, maybe that would change their thinking.” Sylvia Allegretto, a senior economist who studies teacher compensation for the Center for Economic and Policy Research, called salary promises by governors one-time “Band-Aids” that barely keep up with inflation. “You’re kind of chipping away at the margins,” Allegretto said. “You’re not fixing the problem, generally.” For governors, raising teacher pay may be good politics, but raising it across the board may have little long-term impact. Getting better data on where the shortages are and then targeting raises — or bigger raises — to those areas will help more, researchers say. Research shows a pay raise will have at least some effect on retaining teachers, said Ed Fuller, a Penn State associate professor who studies teacher quality and turnover. What is difficult to research, Fuller said, is the effect a raise has on a college student’s decision to enter a teacher preparation program — and take on debt. Some districts haven’t waited for governors and legislatures to act. Kentucky’s biggest school district, Jefferson County in Louisville, gave a 4% raise last year, and the board approved another raise of 5% to start this coming July. It also started giving an annual $8,000 stipend to teachers who work with higher-need students. Superintendent Marty Pollio wants the district to
