Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s inauguration speech
Text of Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s inauguration speech given on Jan. 16, 2023. Remarks as prepared: My fellow Alabamians: Today, as we mark the start of a new chapter in our state government, we are reminded of how fortunate we are to call Alabama and the United States of America our home. Four years ago, in this very spot, I said our people are our greatest resource and the fabric that holds our state together during both our best days and the more difficult ones. Folks, standing here four years ago, I could never have imagined what was to come, but I am certain we came out stronger because of you, the good people of Alabama. Just a few days ago, tornadoes ravaged parts of our state, stealing the lives of seven of our fellow Alabamians. The one light in all of this darkness was our people. Folks all over our state are flocking to the aid of their neighbors hardest hit. Alabamians’ love for each other prevails all, and I am confident we will come back stronger. I am truly honored by your overwhelming support. You elected me to serve as your governor for four more years, and that is a responsibility I do not take lightly. To my fellow constitutional officers, legislators, and other public servants, hear me loud and clear. We have a busy, productive, and full four years in front of us. Let us work together, and let’s not waste a single moment. We will keep Alabama working, and, as a team, we will ensure our best days are yet to come. Today is a time for us to celebrate all Alabama is, for us to reflect on what we have accomplished, and, most importantly, to plan for the future we are working towards. I am truly grateful to this year’s inaugural chairs for making today’s historic event possible, as well as the many volunteers, law enforcement officials, and others who lent a helping hand. We don’t need to sugarcoat it: Right now, with the state of our nation, times are tough. An unprecedented pandemic has led to the federal government spending way above our means. This has resulted in record-high inflation, which means higher costs everywhere you turn. Alabamians in every corner of our state stepped up in a real way when the pandemic halted how we live here in our country. And now, as your governor, I am doing everything in my power to step up for you and your families to provide meaningful and responsible assistance. Folks, we are living in what – at moments – feels like an unreal time. When I was a young girl growing up in Camden, I could never have imagined the world we live in today. Never would I have thought that the day we elect a female governor and a female United States senator, we would also have to fight for our girls to have a fair chance when they compete in sports. Over my lifetime, and especially during my years of public service, I have come to know the people of Alabama will never compromise our values. I believe our Alabama values make us who we are. And as your governor, I am proud of who we are, and I will always protect what we believe in, never forgetting our roots. And as we look ahead to a future filled with opportunity and great possibility, I pledge that we will build on our roots by focusing on getting the hard work done today while never forgetting that our work now matters most to our future generations. I believe we have more in common than that which divides us. We all want Alabama to be the best place to live; we want our people working; and we want our children to receive a high-quality education. To put it simply, we all want to continue seeing more of our Alabama common sense. No doubt, much of our current success is a direct result of reaching across the aisle and working together for the betterment of our state. We are making improvements to our roads and bridges in all 67 counties, as well as to the Port of Mobile. We are moving forward in constructing of new prisons. while also continuing to make productive and reasonable reforms to our criminal justice system. We are making mental health care a priority with the addition of six new crisis centers. We have put a renewed focus on the fundamentals of education and are beginning to see tangible results. Speaking of results, over 61,000 more Alabama households and businesses will now have broadband access. Since I have been governor, thanks to the work of the Alabama Legislature, we have cut well over half a billion dollars in taxes. That relief helped everyone from our middle class to our farmers to our small businesses to our first-time home buyers and even to those looking to adopt. We have reached the lowest unemployment rate in our state’s history multiple times over. We have more good-paying jobs available today than at any other point before. I am proud to report today that since I have been governor, we have seen business investments in our state totaling $40 billion dollars, which has created 73,000 new jobs. And I assure you, we are not done yet. The core issues, the everyday issues, are what will continue to be at the top of my agenda for the next four years. Ensuring every Alabama student receives a high-quality education will be my number one focus. We will build upon the foundation we have laid so that by the end of my term, Alabama will rank in the top 30 states in reading and math for the first time in our history but, in order to be first, we have to continue moving up. Here in Alabama, we support – in fact, we encourage – our parents to be involved in their children’s educational journeys, from birth and
