West Alabama leaders voice their support for continuing the construction of a controversial West Alabama Highway
More than a dozen elected officials throughout western Alabama – from Mobile to Fayette – came together in Thomasville on Tuesday to voice their strong support for continuing construction of the West Alabama Highway. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey supports a plan to four-lane a highway through rural Alabama all the way from Mobile to Florence. Some state leaders and the media are widely criticizing that plan because prioritizing the four-lane highway through West Alabama means that other projects will likely have to be delayed. The West Alabama four-lane highway has been discussed for decades. It would foster economic opportunities, particularly in counties without a four-lane highway or interstate access. It would add a new north-south route in the state, possibly taking some traffic off Interstate 65. The groundbreaking for the project was held on November 12, 2021, and attended by Gov. Ivey and area officials. Building the controversial West Alabama Highway will cost the state an estimated $760 million. The West Alabama Highway will add lanes to U.S. 43 and State Route 69 to complete a four-lane corridor of roughly 80 miles. Supporters at Tuesday’s event agreed the West Alabama Highway will open the region to economic development, jobs, safer commutes, and greater access to medical care and other necessities. Sheldon Day is the Mayor of Thomasville. “If we prepare ourselves today and do the right thing by working hard to make sure this happens, we will lift up the state of Alabama, this part of Alabama, higher than it’s ever seen before,” Mayor Day said. “The goals achieved and the things that can be achieved will be exponential.” Sandy Stimpson is the Mayor of Mobile. Stimpson said the West Alabama Highway is important to Mobile, especially as the Port of Mobile is expanding. Completing construction of the West Alabama Highway offers a new option — other than congested Interstate 65 — for goods being transported north from the port. With the port expansion, “You can just visualize the increased commerce that we will have, and already we have traffic congestion on 65,” Stimpson said. “And, yes, there needs to be things done to improve 65. But it may the quickest and the least expensive thing to do is to fix 43 so that we have two routes coming out of Mobile for one of the biggest economic engines that we have for the entire state to be able to go north to connect to Tuscaloosa, I-22, on to Florence.” Rod Northam is the Mayor of Fayette. Mayor Northam attended the event and discussed the benefits of the four-lane highway connecting Mobile to Tuscaloosa and heading north toward his city and Florence. Another recently announced project – the West Central Alabama Highway – will connect Fayette to Interstate 22. Mayor Northam noted that because there is no four-lane highway through the western part of the state, many residents in north Alabama opt to travel through Mississippi to reach Alabama’s beaches. “That’s tax dollars we’ve lost because they’re going to stop and get food, they’re going to stop and get gas, and they’re going to come down another state and not come down a corridor that connects, hopefully one day, the Shoals to Mobile,” said Mayor Northam. Walt Maddox is the Mayor of Tuscaloosa. Maddox called the West Alabama Highway “one of those win-win-wins. It’s good for Tuscaloosa, it’s good for the Black Belt, and it’s good for the entire state of Alabama.” “So much of our commerce comes up from this region of the state, and what we want to do is export – especially on the automotive side – that back into Mobile,” Mayor Maddox said. “Not only automotive but coal as well, which is important to this region.” Anyone who has traveled up and down Interstate 65 on a Friday afternoon during the summer knows that the interstate is in excess of its capacity and would benefit from widening. Former President Donald Trump even made an issue of the situation when he recently visited Montgomery, promising Republicans that a second Trump administration would prioritize making I-65 at least six lanes from the Tennessee state line to Mobile. Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth has prioritized the I-65 widening. Everyone agrees that adding lanes to I-65 is something that the state should do. Gov. Ivey recently announced that I-65 would be widened between Alabaster and Calera in Shelby County at a cost of over $100 million. Where Ainsworth has come into disagreement with Ivey is that building the West Alabama Highway will take ALDOT dollars that could be used on I-65, and borrowing the money to build Ivey’s West Alabama project would limit future road project funding for the state. If somehow Donald Trump avoids prison time, wins the GOP nomination, defeats incumbent President Joe Biden, and tries to honor his promise on I-65, the state will have maxed out its borrowing capacity building the West Alabama Highway and won’t be able to put up matching dollars for an I-65 widening project. A similar situation exists with the long-delayed Corridor X in Jefferson County. Any resources ALDOT spends there means that there are fewer resources available for widening I-65. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gov. Kay Ivey signs ‘The Game Plan’ legislation
On Thursday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a package of four bills to extend and expand the economic incentive tools available to state financial planners. The Alabama Legislature passed the package of bills on Thursday morning, promising that the four “Game Plan” bills are the “plays” Alabama needed to call to have a bright future. “I am proud the Alabama Legislature has officially passed all four bills in The Game Plan package – my plan for our state’s continued economic success,” Ivey said in a statement. “I commend both the Senate and House for their incredible work on this timely legislation that will, no doubt, be transformative for our state and, more importantly, for our families. We are creating stability for our economy and are going to keep Alabama winning for many years to come.” “The Game Plan will give Alabama’s team the tools it needs to extend our winning record in economic development and help us unleash a new wave of growth and innovation across the state,” said Gov. Ivey. “From our rural areas to our big cities, this is going to benefit every corner of Alabama.” Senate President Pro Temp Greg Reed said that passage of the package was a victory for the state and its future. “The Game Plan is a multi-pronged approach to strengthen Alabama’s economy from all angles,” said Reed. “The four ‘plays’ are effective pieces of legislation that will help Alabama’s local communities thrive by attracting high-quality employers, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth.” Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter said that the package would benefit Alabamians by better positioning the state to compete for the best jobs in the country. “Industries across the nation and globe are trying to come here because of our great employees, our low taxes, and our unbeatable quality of life,” said Ledbetter. “We want to make sure that, from a competition standpoint, we have the tools needed to bring companies here and keep them here.” Greg Canfield is the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The Game Plan will serve as our next-generation strategic economic development framework as we work to build a more dynamic economy for Alabama and its citizens,” said Secretary Canfield. “Neighboring states are aggressively escalating their economic development activities, and this will allow us to keep winning the projects that trigger lasting impacts.” The Alabama Big 10 Mayors praised the passage of the economic development Incentives bills. Passing the economic incentives legislation was item number one on the Alabama Big 10 Mayors’ 2023 legislative agenda. “These incentives programs are critically important to our cities and the entire state of Alabama,” the Alabama Big 10 Mayors said in a joint statement. “For our cities to be successful, we need to have the tools to attract new industry, businesses, and high-quality jobs. These bills give Alabama the ability to not just remain competitive, but also increase our ability to attract the world-class businesses and developments that improve the quality of life across our state.” “We thank Governor Kay Ivey, legislative leadership and their members, the Department of Commerce, and the many stakeholders who worked tirelessly to make this happen. We were proud to support this package of bills, and we look forward to seeing the impact that these incentives programs will have on each of Alabama’s ten largest cities.” The Mayors representing Alabama’s ten biggest cities work together to address the state’s most important issues and make Alabama a safer, better place for all its residents to live. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. The Game Plan includes four bills — or “plays” — focusing on economic development issues such as incentives, site development, small business support, and transparency. Play 1: The Enhancing Alabama’s Economic Progress Act renews the Alabama Jobs Act and the Growing Alabama program and extends their sunset dates to 2028 while adding strategic enhancements to increase their effectiveness. The Jobs Act is the state’s primary incentives platform, while Growing Alabama primarily speeds development of shovel-ready sites. Play 2: The Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act (SEEDS) will allow the State Industrial Development Authority to accelerate the development of industry-ready sites at a time when available sites are scarce, and other states are expanding their site programs. Play 3: The Innovation and Small Business Act aims to supercharge growth in Alabama’s innovation economy and support underrepresented businesses and enterprises in rural areas, transforming the state into a hub for technology and innovation. Play 4: The Enhancing Transparency Act will amend the Jobs Act to require the Alabama Department of Commerce to publish certain incentivized project information on its website. Transparency around important information related to companies receiving incentives will serve a valid public service and increase confidence in the process. Critics of the idea of economic incentives to lure industry and projects argue that it is corporate welfare and picking winners and losers, but there were no critics in the Alabama Legislature as the plan sailed through both Houses. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Big Ten mayors host annual breakfast
On Wednesday, the Alabama Big Ten Mayors hosted legislative leaders at a breakfast on the Sixth Floor of RSA Plaza. The mayors thanked the legislators for their service and asked them to support their 2023 legislative agenda. Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said, “There are a lot of great things happening in this city and across Alabama.” “We had a record year in economic development in the city,” Reed said. “It could not have happened without great help from the state of Alabama and our elected representation.” Reed said that the new $90 million waterpark would be an “economic lynchpin” for the city. “Gen Z picks the place and then picks the job,” Reed said. “That is a little bit different from what I was used to. We found the job and then went to the city where it was.” Reed said the water park would feature whitewater rafting next to a walking trail on the Alabama River and Maxwell Air Force Base. “It will definitely be a destination,” Reed stated. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson is the Chairman of the Big Ten Mayors. “This started in 2014 as the big 5,” Stimpson said. “We started meeting on a quarterly basis. We found out that we had the same problems.” “That morphed into the Big 10 Mayors in 2019,” Stimpson. “Rebuild Alabama was our first focus. Rebuild Alabama has been great for the state.” Stimpson said that the mayors next got involved in Anaiah’s Law. “There was a repeat offender who had already shot a couple of people,” Stimpson said. “We asked the judge: Don’t let him out. The judge said: I have to. If you don’t like it, change the constitution.” The Mayors then got behind Anaiah’s law, which was sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. That amendment to the Alabama Constitution passed the Legislature and was ratified by the voters in the 2020 election. Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said that the Mayors are urging the Legislature to pass the Simplified Sellers Use Tax. “Small business is the heart of our cities,” Maddox said. “We know it is not easy, but these are the people borrowing the money and taking the risk to build our communities, and they are the heart of our downtowns.” Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth said, “The big ten mayors play a big role in our state. Thank you for your support of our incentives package.” Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed said, “We will be looking at a four bill incentives package,” “We have had great success in Alabama with incentives,” Reed said. “We have created tens of thousands of jobs.” Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter said, “Our state is growing at a pace that I have not seen in my lifetime.” Ledbetter credited the incentives package for contributing to this growth. “The incentives have led to $40 billion in investment in the state and created 60,000 jobs,” Ledbetter said. “Rebuild Alabama has changed Alabama’s economy. All over the state, you see (road construction) barrels wherever you go. It used to not be that way.” “Ports are hugely important,” Ledbetter said. “We are expanding our port and building a new one in Montgomery.” Stimpson said, “75% of the people in Alabama live in the state’s metropolitan areas, and most of the economic growth occurs in the metropolitan areas.” The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. Wednesday will be day 8 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The Alabama Constitution limits the regular session to no more than thirty legislative days during a regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Eyeing their share, Alabama cities seek more online tax data
Mayors of Alabama’s largest cities want to open up the hood on the state’s online sales tax program, amid worries that cities that impose high sales tax rates may be losing out on revenue. AL.com reports mayors of the state’s 10 largest cities want state lawmakers this year to mandate more data be provided about online sales taxes. While the combined city, county, and state sales tax rate in most Alabama cities is higher than 9%, the state’s Simplified Sellers Use Tax collects only 8%. Whether traditional sales tax or online tax is collected, the state gets a 4% cut. Cities get 60% of the other half of the 8% online rate, while counties get 40%, with individual amounts determined by population. That’s a good deal for counties because Alabama cities often reap a larger share of local sales tax revenue. Cities and counties fought over how the money was divided in 2018 and 2019. The program generated $634 million in the budget year ended September 30, up 65% over two years. Mayors aren’t yet proposing a re-division. Instead, they say they want figures on where purchases are coming from, so they can compare that to their current shares of online sales tax. “With transparency, we can ensure that our schools, police departments, and road networks are receiving the investments they have earned,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said. No bill to require more data has yet been filed. Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, said he believes mayors want a larger share of the pie. He said that to meet mayors’ demands, the state would have to repeal confidentiality laws that bar disclosure of how much any one taxpayer pays. “No city in Alabama can disclose the amount of sales tax paid by an individual business inside its jurisdiction,” Brasfield said. “That information is private and essential to a business’ success.” The mayors say they need to know the total online sales tax activity originating in their cities, not how much any one business pays. They also argue that the 8% rate is unfair to businesses that must charge higher rates for purchases made at their stores. “We think that cities, counties, school systems, and Alabama taxpayers ought to be able to get a clear picture of our how online sales tax system works in order to have certainty and plan for the future and know that our local small businesses are being treated fairly,” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. Frank Miles, a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Revenue, said state law currently precludes the type of disclosures the mayors might be seeking, because Alabama only collects statewide online sales figures and is barred from collecting local-level data. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama Big 10 Mayors announce their 2023 Legislative agenda
On Friday, the Alabama Big 10 Mayors released their legislative agenda for the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative session. “Policy decisions made in Montgomery have a direct impact on our cities,” the ten mayors said in a joint statement. “And with nearly three out of four Alabamians living either in or around our state’s ten biggest cities, legislation that creates jobs and improves public safety in our communities benefits the vast majority of Alabamians. That’s why we have joined together to collectively advocate for important, common-sense legislation that will make our state a better place to live, work and raise a family. We look forward to working with our state’s dedicated elected lawmakers to make Alabama a safer, more prosperous state.” The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. While 75% of the state’s population lives in the state’s largest metropolitan areas, just 25.1% of Alabamians actually live in the city limits of the ten largest Alabama cities. They range in size from Huntsville at 215,006 down to 56.933 for Madison in the 2020 Census. The mayors listed their key legislative priorities for the Alabama Big 10 Mayors for the 2023 legislative session. These policies, if enacted, will make Alabama a safer, more prosperous state. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors support the reauthorization and accompanying expansion of the Alabama Jobs Act and the Growing Alabama Act. The Mayors claim that the incentive programs established by these bills are critical to keeping Alabama’s economy globally competitive as we work to attract new businesses and new jobs to our communities. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors support efforts to make online sales tax distribution data from the State available publicly. If Alabamians are required to pay taxes on items purchased online, they deserve the right to know where their tax dollars are going. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors support legislation that would make it easier for local governments and land bank authorities to seize vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent private properties from landowners and address them in a way that would allow those previously unusable properties to contribute to and improve communities in Alabama cities. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors supports legislation enabling more expedient prosecution of unlicensed persons found to have any “trigger activator“ device, such as a “Glock switch.” These devices are federally illegal and not authorized by gun manufacturers. They effectively turn a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm. These devices increase the number of rounds that a handgun can fire per second and decreases the amount of control that the shooter has over the firearm, increasing risks to bystanders and law enforcement. A state law would allow offenders to be prosecuted for having the unapproved device in the state and federal courts. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors support legislation that prohibits and provides criminal penalties for “exhibition driving“ – when a driver purposefully drives intentionally to create unnecessary engine noise, tire skid, burnouts, and other dangerous and dangerous and damaging driving techniques. This is a growing problem across Alabama cities that creates a public safety hazard for pedestrians and other drivers while draining limited law enforcement resources. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Alabama’s big 10 mayors are influential
Students of Alabama political history will rightly remember the 2022 midterm election. This election saw the majority of Alabama voters cast their ballots for Katie Britt, who will be the first woman elected to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate. Governor Kay Ivey easily coasted to victory to gain her second full term in office, continuing her reign as the first Republican woman to serve as Governor. Republicans from the top of the ballot on down cemented their control of the state government by huge margins. On top of all this, I suspect that students of Alabama politics will also note 2022 as the year that a new political force emerged on the scene. For the first time this cycle, the Alabama Big 10 Mayors – as the name suggests, the mayors of the state’s ten biggest cities – flexed their political muscle and put their support behind the Aniah’s Law constitutional amendment, which received a staggering 1,018,004 “yes” votes, more than any other item on the ballot. For those who are not aware of this emerging new group, the mayors of Alabama’s ten biggest cities joined together to use their collective influence to advocate for public policy positions that they believe will make Alabama a safer, more prosperous state. If you happen to live in the metro areas of Birmingham, Huntsville, Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, Dothan, Hoover, or Decatur – you live in the orbit of this group’s sphere of influence. While these mayors have been meeting regularly for several years to discuss issues like crime, infrastructure, and economic development, this election cycle marks the first time they have weighed in on electoral politics. Through a focus on local media, these mayors were able to ensure that this popular proposal stayed top-of-mind for Alabama voters. In fact, the late push against the referendum from both the far left and far right of the political spectrum was likely a reaction to the media coverage and public support that these mayors generated. Their advantage is not just in the media. They are a bipartisan group with credibility on both the right and left sides of the aisle. They are popular, and many are serving their third or even fourth terms. They are geographically diverse, with representation from Huntsville to Mobile to the Wiregrass. Finally, they represent a whole lot of Alabamians – approximately 75% percent of the state lives in one of their metro areas. As our state works to attract new residents and grapple with brain drain, policymakers would do well to listen to what these mayors have to say. It is clear that the future of Alabama depends on successful cities that can attract and retain the types of people who work in our booming space, medical research, and advanced manufacturing industries. Ignoring our cities is a recipe for decreasing competitiveness across the state. If you think we are a rural, small-town state, you are mistaken. In case you missed my earlier statement, a clear three-fourths of all Alabamians now live in one of our ten major cities in the state. Most of the real governing in the state is done by mayors. Being mayor of a city is where the rubber meets the road. It is the governmental constant where everyday problems are resolved. The gentlemen who comprise the group of the Big 10 mayors are hardworking, true public servants. They are doing their job day-in-and-day-out without fanfare and without an eye toward moving up statewide or to Washington. They love their cities and are governing them well. Representing the largest cities in Alabama, the Big 10 mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. It is interesting and noteworthy that two of the Big 10 cities are suburban enclaves of two of our large metropolitan areas. Hoover is one of the largest cities in the state and is an outgrowth of Birmingham. If census trends continue the next ten years the same as the last, Hoover may be a larger city than Birmingham. It more than likely will be in 20 years. However, if those same trends stay in place, Huntsville will continue to be Alabama’s largest city. One of the most revealing things to note is that Madison, a suburb of Huntsville, is one of the ten largest cities in Alabama. The Big 10 Mayors should have a big story for a long time to come. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.
Libertarian Jimmy Blake says state needs to change ballot access law
On Friday, Jimmy Blake told Alabama Today that the State of Alabama has the most restrictive ballot access law in the country and that that needs to change. Blake was the Libertarian Party of Alabama nominee for governor in last week’s general election. On November 8, Blake received 45,823 votes – 3.25 percent of the votes cast – in his failed bid to be governor of Alabama. Kay Ivey was reelected to another term with 944,845 votes – 66.93% of the vote. Blake also was unable to achieve a high enough threshold for the Libertarian Party to have automatic ballot access in the 2024 election. “In 48 states, all but Kentucky and Alabama, I would have gotten enough votes for the party to have had ballot access,” Blake said. For a minor party to remain on the ballot in Alabama, one of its statewide candidates has to achieve 20% of the general election vote. Democratic nominee Yolanda Rochelle Flowers received just 29.16% of the vote in the governor’s race. That was the poorest showing for a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Alabama history, down from Walt Maddox’s 40.4% just four years ago. None of the 65 Libertarian candidates on the ballot in last Tuesday’s general election were victorious. In the U.S. Senate race, Libertarian nominee John Sophocleus received just 2.32% of the vote (32,790 votes), and Democratic nominee Will Boyd received 30.87% (435,428 votes), while Republican Katie Britt received 66.64% (940,048 votes). Where Libertarians did best were in races where there was a Republican running but no Democrat. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, Republican incumbent Will Ainsworth coasted to victory with 83.69% of the vote (955,372 votes). Still, with no Democrat in the race, his Libertarian opponent, Ruth Page Nelson, received 15.60% of the vote – 178,069 votes – still short of that 20% threshold required by Alabama state law. 1,411,756 people voted in the governor’s race, but only 1,141,507 votes in the Lieutenant Governor’s race, a drop off of 270,639 voters. Many of those voters who dropped off the ballot were Democrats who voted a straight-party ticket without making a preference in races where the Alabama Democratic Party failed to recruit a candidate. Candidate qualifying was over, and the ballot was set before new Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley was even elected. No Democrat won a statewide race on Tuesday. In fact, Doug Jones’s surprise victory over former Chief Justice Roy Moore in the 2017 special election for U.S. Senate is the only win for a Democrat in a statewide race in Alabama since 2008. The unlikely chance that a Democrat can win a statewide race in Alabama has made it extremely difficult for the Alabama Democratic Party to recruit candidates or for Democratic or non-Republican candidates to raise money. Where Libertarians came closest was in the race for Public Service Commission Place 2 race. There incumbent Republican Chip Beeker received 83.18% (929,248 votes), while Libertarian nominee Laura Lane received 16.05% (179,302 votes). “Laura Lane had enough votes for 49 states, even Kentucky, which has the second hardest ballot access at ten percent,” Blake said. The Libertarian candidates for PSC Place 1, State Auditor, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries all received over 14 percent of the vote in addition to Lane and Nelson. Blake said that Libertarians would be asking the Legislature to reform the state’s ballot access law. The last time the Libertarian Party of Alabama had ballot access was 2002. Then Sophocleus received more votes than the deciding margin between incumbent Democrat Don Siegelman and winner then-Congressman Bob Riley. Following that heavily contested race, the State Legislature changed Alabama’s ballot access laws to make it more difficult for minor parties to qualify for ballot access. The state requires a minor party or an independent candidate to turn in ballot access signatures of registered voters. To gain ballot access in this election cost the Libertarians over $240,000 and weeks of canvassing. The Party only completed the work in the days before the May 24 deadline. Without intervention by the Legislature or the court system, Libertarians will have to repeat that process if they hope to run statewide candidates in 2024. The 2024 election will include the statewide offices of President, PSC President, Alabama Supreme Court, and appellate judge. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Big 10 Mayors say state will be safer thanks to Aniah’s Law
On Tuesday, Alabama voters went to the polls and overwhelmingly voted to ratify Amendment One -Aniah’s Law. The Big 10 Mayors had endorsed ratification of the bill to allow judges to deny mail to dangerous felons. After Tuesday’s victory, the Mayors said they will continue to collectively advocate for policy goals that make the state a better place for all Alabamians “We were proud to support this constitutional amendment and to have fought for its approval by Alabama voters,” the Mayors said. “This is a big win for public safety in Alabama and will honor Aniah’s memory for generations to come.” They thanked voters for making Alabama safer by showing up at the polls and voting for Aniah’s Law. “As mayors of Alabama’s ten largest cities, we understand the great responsibility we have to promote public safety in our communities,” the Mayors said. Early on, we identified Aniah’s Law as an issue in which we could use our collective influence to advocate for and make Alabamians safer. This amendment will give Alabama judges and District Attorneys the tools they need to keep violent criminals off the streets.” Under current Alabama law, judges have limited authority to deny bail to violent offenders unless the suspect is charged with a capital offense or poses a flight risk. Proponents say that means that dangerous criminals are often released back onto the streets, even when it is likely they will commit more violent crimes as soon as they make bail. Aniah Blanchard was a Southern Union student who was kidnapped off of the streets of Auburn at a gas station by a known violent kidnapper who was out on bond. She was brutalized, raped, and murdered by her attacker. Her parents were instrumental in Aniah’s law being passed by the Alabama Legislature. Now, after a majority of Alabama voters voted to pass Aniah’s Law, judges will be able to deny bail to dangerous offenders who are likely to re-offend when charged with serious felonies like murder, kidnapping, rape, sexual torture, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, arson, robbery, terrorism, or aggravated child abuse. “Far too often, these offenders – who are often charged with crimes such as murder, rape, and kidnapping – are released to re-commit more heinous crimes while they await trial. That flawed system led to the kidnapping and murder of 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard in October of 2019. Simply put, Aniah’s accused killer should have been in jail, and Aniah should still be alive. We were honored to help get this constitutional amendment across the finish line to protect Alabamians from suffering the same tragedy that befell Aniah and her family. We were proud to support this constitutional amendment and to have fought for its approval by Alabama voters. This is a big win for public safety in Alabama and will honor Aniah’s memory for generations to come.” Amendment one was also endorsed by Gov. Kay Ivey, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Secretary of State John Merrill, and unanimous votes by both Houses of the Alabama Legislature, where it was sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. “We will continue to collectively advocate for policy goals that make our state a better place for all Alabamians,” said the Mayors. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. All ten statewide constitutional amendments and the 2022 recompiled state constitution were ratified by voters on Tuesday. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Republicans dominate statewide races
As expected, Alabama Republicans won every statewide race. Kay Ivey was easily re-elected, and political newcomer Katie Britt will be the next U.S. Senator from Alabama. Republican incumbents Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate, and Treasurer Young Boozer were easily re-elected. Republican State Representatives Wes Allen and Andrew Sorrell won the open Secretary of State and Auditor races. Republicans also held their supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature and won the open State Supreme Court Justice race. Ivey won by an even larger percentage than in 2018 in 2022. Ivey had 69.9% of the vote as of press time. Yolanda Flowers’ 29.2% performance was the worst performance by a Democratic nominee in memory. Ivey improved her percentage victory by over 10% (69.9% versus 59.5%) of the vote; but actually had fewer votes than four years ago – 944,845 in 2022 versus 1,022,457 in 2018. Ivey’s two landslide victories makes her the most popular Republican governor in state history. Yolanda Flowers only received only 411,269 votes, whereas Walt Maddox received 694,495 votes. Ivey is the first Republican woman to serve as Governor of Alabama. She was already the longest-serving woman governor in state history and the first woman in state history to be re-elected as governor. Ivey won the 2022 election for governor, the 2018 election for governor, the 2014 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2010 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2006 election for State Treasurer, and the 2002 election for State Treasurer. This unprecedented run makes Ivey the most successful woman politician in the history of Alabama. Ivey, age 78, is also the oldest governor in the state’s history. Election night was hugely disappointing for Libertarians. While they did get ballot access for the first time since 2022, none of their candidates were able to get close to the 20% threshold needed to give the party ballot access in 2024 – even in statewide races where no Democrat even qualified. Gaining ballot access cost the Libertarian Party over $240,000 to get the necessary number of ballot access signatures to be on the ballot. If the party is going to be on the ballot in 2024, they will have to go through the ballot signature process. Libertarian candidate for Governor – Dr. Jimmy Blake, only received 45,825 votes (3.2%). It is unclear where Blake’s voters came from, disgruntled Republicans or Democrats who did not support Flowers. It was not a good night for write-in gubernatorial candidates. Dean Odle and Jared Budlong, representing the far right and far left respectively, received just 9,401 votes (0.67%). Since those votes will not be individually counted, so there is no way to know how many of those votes were Odle’s, Budlong’s, or someone else entirely. In the Senate race, Britt received 940,048 votes (66.6%). Democrat Dr. Will Boyd received 435,428 votes (30.87%). Libertarian John Sophocleus received 32,790 votes (2.32%). 2,454 Alabamians wrote in someone else. Britt is the first woman to win a U.S. Senate race in Alabama. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, incumbent Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth won in a landslide. Ainsworth had 955,372 votes (83.69%). Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson had 178,069 votes (15.60%) – far short of the 20% Libertarians needed to guarantee them ballot access in 2024. 8,066 Alabamians (0.71%) wrote in someone else. Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall coasted to re-election, receiving 953,284 votes (67.91%) versus 449,193 votes (32%) for Democrat Wendell Major. Major received more votes than any Democrat running statewide. In the Secretary of State’s race, Republican Wes Allen won 923,206 votes (65.9%). Democrat Pamela Lafitte got 435,558 (31.1%), and Libertarian Matt Shelby received 41,480 votes (3%). In the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries race, incumbent Republican Rick Pate cruised to victory 944,021 (84.3%) over Libertarian Jason Clark 169,869 (15%). In the State Treasurer races, Republican incumbent Young Boozer trounced Libertarian Scott Hammond with 944,792 votes (83.75%) to 174,472 votes (15.47%). For State Auditor, Republican Andrew Sorrell won 947,719 votes (84.4%), while Libertarian Leigh Lachine had 166,243 votes (14.81%). For Alabama Supreme Court Place 5, political newcomer Republican Greg Cook won 941,059 votes (67.42%), while Democrat Anita Kelly received 453,518 votes (32.49%). Incumbent Republican Alabama Supreme Court Place 6 Kelli Wise was unopposed winning re-election 995,688 votes (97.51%). For Public Service Commission Place 1, Republican incumbent Jeremy Oden defeated Libertarian Ron Bishop 934,987 (83.73%) to 172,733 (15.47%). For Public Service Commission Place 2, incumbent Republican Chip Beeker received 929,248 votes (83.18%), while Laura Lane had 179,302 votes. Lane received more votes than any other Libertarian, but her 16.1% was still far below the 20% threshold that the Libertarians needed statewide. The Alabama Republican Party also retained its supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature. Democrats flipped one Alabama House seat in Montgomery County (Charlotte Meadows), while Republicans flipped one Democratic seat in the Wiregrass (Dexter Grimsley). These numbers are all unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State’s office. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Kay Ivey is Governor again
Governor Kay Ivey’s 2022 reelection victory run has been very impressive. Some of you may be wondering how quickly I have been able to resolve that she has indeed culminated her victorious run when the General Election was held Tuesday, and my column’s published date is Wednesday. It is simply, as I have told you numerous times over the past two decades, winning the Republican Primary for governor in the Heart of Dixie is tantamount to election. The General Election in Alabama is an afterthought. We are a one-party state when it comes to statewide races. Kay Ivey laid to rest the last hope of the Alabama Democrats being able to win a statewide race, especially for governor in my lifetime and probably in yours, when she beat Walt Maddox like a rented mule in 2018. Walt Maddox was the best shot and best mule the Democrats could ever dream up. Maddox is the young, articulate mayor of Tuscaloosa. He has been and had been mayor of the Druid City for a good while. He has been an excellent mayor with an impeccable record. He ran a good well-run, well-financed campaign for governor. He got 40% of the vote. This seems to be the threshold for a Democrat for governor. Therefore, Kay Ivey’s 2022 run may not be as impressive as her 2018 race. Although, this run has been extremely impressive. Probably the reason that 2022 has gone so well is because she ran so well in 2018. She beat a very formidable field four years ago. She beat the popular mayor of Huntsville, Tommy Battle, in the Republican Primary. His credentials and fundraising prowess were equal to Maddox’s, if not better. Having beaten the 2018 thoroughbreds, Battle and Maddox, so thoroughly, made serious candidates not even consider challenging her. In 2022, to compare Lindy Blanchard, Tim James, and Yolanda Flowers to Tommy Battle and Walt Maddox is like comparing Mutt to Jeff. Governor Kay Ivey has done a good job as governor during the four years, 2019-2022, and folks knew that, and they knew her. There also have not been any scandals or controversies. She had garnered one of the finest men and managers in Alabama political history, Congressman Jo Bonner, to be her right arm and Chief of Staff. They together ran a pretty solid ship of state. Most of us who follow Alabama politics felt like Kay was going to only serve one four-year term when she won the 2018 race. She, deep down, may have thought the same thing. Therefore, she governed with the attitude of what is right for the state and not what is right for reelection. When she decided to run, most of us were in agreement that she would win. She would be well-financed, and national polls revealed that she was one of the most popular incumbent governors in the nation. My thoughts were, and I conveyed to you, that the only way Kay Ivey could lose the race was if she beat herself. If she misspoke or did a debate and made a miscue or misstep. She did none of the above. She ran a perfectly scripted, flawless campaign. She campaigned as governor and looked gubernatorial. Most importantly, her campaign TV ads were brilliant. They were folksy with the perfect Alabama flavor. They had her looking good, speaking well, and southern with a grandmotherly appeal. They made her age and demeanor an advantage. She came out of the campaign being better liked than before. Some of her ads came close to being racist when she said, “Folks think we ought to require our schools to teach everyone to speak Spanish. Well, I say, ‘No Way, Jose.’” This prompted ultra-liberal Democrats around the nation to deride her. When Maxine Waters, the liberal Democratic California Congresswoman, criticized her, Kay quipped, “I ought to give Maxine Waters an in-kind contribution proxy for her help in my Alabama Republican Primary campaign.” The big question in the Republican Primary was whether Kay Ivey could win the May 24 Primary without having to go to a June 21 runoff to win. Some doubted that anyone could beat eight opponents without a runoff, especially given that Blanchard and James spent a total of $16 million dollars. She proved them wrong. She beat the field of eight without a runoff and got 54% percent of the vote. My guess is that she got a higher percentage than that on Tuesday. Kay Ivey is Governor, again. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.
Republican Kay Ivey wins 2nd full term as Alabama governor
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey easily won a second full term Tuesday against Democrat Yolanda Flowers, the first Black woman to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in the state, after surviving both a health scare and multiple Republican challengers in the primary. Smiling broadly and wearing a bright red jacket, Ivey took the stage before a huge American flag and waved to cheering supporters at a campaign celebration held at a restaurant in Montgomery. “Y’all, we did it!” she exclaimed. While Flowers’ candidacy was an interesting historical footnote, it posed no real threat to the GOP’s control of all three branches of government in a majority white, conservative state where voting patterns typically break down by skin color. Flowers closed her campaign with days of fasting and a lengthy prayer shown on Facebook. Libertarian Jimmy Blake, a former Birmingham City Council member, also was on the ballot. Ivey, who turned 78 in October, avoided a runoff in the spring despite facing a slate that included eight Republican challengers who forced her to the right. Ivey repeated former President Donald Trump’s lies about election theft and aired a campaign commercial in which she pulled a pistol out of her purse. Following the primary, Ivey — who was diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer in 2019 and later said the disease was gone — was faced with questions about her health after she disappeared from public view for almost three weeks during the summer. She refused to say whether she underwent any medical treatment. While Ivey’s absence made headlines, any doubts or concerns about her health didn’t have any effect on her chances of victory. At her party, a jubilant Ivey thanked voters. “Folks, there’s no doubt that the best is yet to come because we all know there’s no step too high for a high stepper,” said Ivey, repeating a campaign mantra. In her re-election bid, Ivey mostly ignored her opponents and instead touted the state’s low unemployment rate and opposition to the policies of Democratic President Joe Biden. She had a campaign bank balance of more than $200,000 at the end of September compared to just $546 for Flowers, records showed. Ivey first became governor in April 2017, when she was elevated from the office of lieutenant governor following the resignation of Robert Bentley, who quit in a plea agreement following a scandal over his relationship with a female staffer. Ivey defeated an experienced, well-known Democratic challenger, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, by 20 percentage points in 2018 to claim her first full term. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Republican Kay Ivey poised for re-election as Alabama governor
After surviving both a health scare and a full slate of Republican challengers in the primary, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is poised to win a second full term Tuesday against Democrat Yolanda Flowers, the first Black woman to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in the state, and a third candidate. While Flowers’ candidacy is an interesting historical footnote, it posed little threat to the GOP’s control of all three branches of government in a majority-white, conservative state where voting patterns typically break down by skin color. The only real question may be the size of Ivey’s victory in a race that included Flowers, an educator and political unknown who campaigned heavily on her Christian faith and justice issues, and Libertarian Jimmy Blake, a former Birmingham City Council member. Ivey, who turned 78 in October, avoided a runoff in the spring despite facing eight Republican challengers who forced her to the right. Ivey parroted former President Donald Trump’s lies about election theft and aired a campaign commercial in which she pulled a pistol out of her purse. After the primary, Ivey — who was diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer in 2019 and later said the disease was gone — was faced with questions about her health after she disappeared from public view for almost three weeks during the summer. She later refused to say whether she underwent any medical treatment. While Ivey’s absence made headlines, any doubts or concerns about her health haven’t seemed to have any effect on her chances of victory. In her re-election bid, Ivey has ignored her opponents and instead touted the state’s low unemployment rate and opposition to the policies of Democratic President Joe Biden. She had a campaign bank balance of more than $200,000 at the end of September compared to just $546 for Flowers, records showed. Ivey first became governor in April 2017, when she was elevated from the office of lieutenant governor following the resignation of Robert Bentley, who quit in a plea agreement following a scandal over his relationship with a female staffer. Ivey defeated an experienced, well-known Democratic challenger, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, by 20 percentage points in 2018 to claim her first full term. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
