Economic Development

“We know far too well in Alabama the effect high unemployment has on our economy. And for the first time in several years, Alabama’s unemployment rate has exceeded that of the national average. Businesses of all sizes are shutting their doors, and we must develop a plan to bring new, better-paying jobs to Senate District 5.

With the new I-22 now a reality, downtown Birmingham is only 35 minutes from Jasper, and the Birmingham airport is accessible from all parts of the District. This makes our area ideally suited for landing new business, particularly for auto suppliers who service Toyota and Mercedes. It is only a matter of time before the auto industry rebounds from the current slump, and we must be poised to take advantage of the eventual comeback.

With three higher-ed campuses in our area—Shelton State Community College, Bevill State Community College and The University of Alabama—we have a ready-made labor force to work in our district in technical and white-collar jobs once these students graduate. We must take advantage of all of the workforce training options available to us so that when young people complete their courses, there are jobs for them and that they are prepared to take them.

While there is much focus on recruiting new business to Alabama, we must do more to keep existing businesses vibrant and sound. Over the years, these entities have provided jobs and helped keep our economy sound, and we must do all we can at the state level to offer incentives for rehiring laid-off workers and tax credits for employers who offer health insurance to their employees. I propose establishing a “Small Business Task Force” appointed by the Governor charged with finding ways to make doing business in Alabama less burdensome. This task force will also recommend legislative measures to provide assistance to small businesses struggling to survive.

Economic development will be the lifeblood of an improved business climate in Alabama, and providing assistance to existing businesses will be a good first step. Back to top (List all issues)

Public Education

I am a product of the public education system. All three of my children are currently enrolled in Jasper City Schools. Our schools can do more to influence the lives of our children almost as much as the family itself. An investment in our schools today will yield great fruit in the future.

When I am elected to the Alabama Senate, I look forward to being an active partner with our public schools. I am excited about the new technology being instituted in classrooms across Alabama which will help ensure that when our students graduate, they will be well-prepared for the workforce or for pursuing higher-ed opportunities.

The current economic environment is such that we must watch how dollars in state government are spent. The next Legislature will be faced with making tough budgetary decisions. That means making certain that we allocate every available dollar on instructional tools including teacher salaries, supplies and other materials for the classroom. Back to top (List all issues)

Ethics in Government

So far, 2009 has been a banner year for the conviction of Democratic public officials. Breaching the public trust is a violation that must be punished to the letter of the law.

The problem is that Alabama’s ethics laws are watered down and weak. In recent years, the Alabama Legislature has proven that talk is cheap when it comes to ethics reform. Session after session, the Democratic leadership beats its chest, touting the need to improve the ethical climate in the state. But when it comes time to pass the bills on the floor of the Legislature, something mysterious seems to happen, and the session ends without the enactment of ethics reform.

I support legislation to put real teeth in our ethics laws. I will vote to give the Alabama Ethics Commission subpoena power to conduct thorough and meaningful investigations of wrongdoing by public officials. I believe lobbyists should be required to report all expenditures made on entertaining legislators and state agency employees.

The answer to integrity in government is accountability and transparency, and I will vote for any legislative proposals to ensure that government is more open and honest. Back to top (List all issues)

The State Budget Process

I believe it’s time to overhaul Alabama’s budget process. Our state has entered proration far too often over the past several decades to consider the current method of budgeting successful. There is currently a shortfall in revenues needed to run our state government, and the present financial crisis is straining our state budgets. A new conservative approach is desperately needed to keep us from budget crises in the future.

The current budgetary process used by the state leadership employs a method of projecting what future revenues are expected to be collected and then basing the following year’s budget off that arbitrary projection.

I favor basing the state budgetary process on prior-year revenues received by the state. Using prior-year revenues will allow the economy to dictate government spending and growth, rather than legislators who have proven they are not conservative with taxpayer dollars. Back to top (List all issues)

The Second Amendment

I am a proud gun owner. When I hunted with my father as a youngster, he taught me to own and use guns responsibly, and I have imparted this advice to my three sons. I believe law-abiding citizens should have the right to purchase, carry and use firearms, and I oppose any measure by government at any level to restrict this right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The adage that ‘when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns,’ is true. Back to top (List all issues)

Public Roads

In Senate District 5, we are served by a good interstate system. But we must not neglect the roads less-traveled that many of our citizens use on a daily basis, especially those roads that accommodate school buses transporting our children to and from school. Back to top (List all issues)

Illegal Immigration

The issue of illegal immigration is complex and should be solved federally.The fact is that the federal government has dropped the ball on dealing with the illegal alien issue, and it must not continue delegating its responsibility to enforce immigration laws to the state. Back to top (List all issues)

Gambling

Hopefully, our courts will settle the gambling issue once and for all. I will not support efforts in the Legislature to legalize gambling in any way, shape or form. As for a vote of the people, I believe they spoke on this issue loudly and clearly when the people said no to the lottery in 1999. Back to top (List all issues)

Health Care

What Washington doesn’t seem to understand is that our health care system is not completely broken; like an old road, we don’t need to start over, we just need to fix the potholes.

You can bet that anything the government runs can be run better in the private sector. The idea of a public option in the current Congressional plan is merely an attempt to drive private health insurance companies out of the marketplace and force consumers to buy government health insurance. Putting government in charge of our health care system will destroy the doctor-patient relationship.

I believe in the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that provides all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved to the states. Back to top (List all issues)

The Sanctity of Life

I am staunchly pro-life and have been unwavering in my feelings on this topic. There are so many reasons we can outline supporting the importance of human life. The millions of abortions that have taken place since Roe v. Wade are an assault on the moral fiber of our country. There are countless deserving couples who are not able to give birth to children of their own who wait to adopt children. I am pro-life. Back to top (List all issues)