Alabama Big 10 Mayors support economic incentives legislation, urge swift approval

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Big 10 Mayors today applauded the introduction of new economic incentives legislation designed to increase Alabama’s competitiveness and job opportunities across the state and encouraged the state legislature to swiftly adopt the measures.

The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Madison’s Mayor Paul Finley, along with Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.

The economic incentives package, known as “The Game Plan,” will reauthorize, expand, and modernize the ways that Alabama attracts and develops new businesses across the state. The legislation will focus on key development criteria, including increasing the amount of incentive funds available to businesses and developing additional sites for businesses to relocate. In addition, “The Game Plan” will promote expanding innovation and technology industries, investing in rural areas, and supporting veteran, woman, and minority-owned small businesses.

“Alabama is a great place to do business, but we can’t rest on our laurels. As we compete with our neighboring states and states across the country to attract top-tier businesses and industry, we must ensure that we maintain an environment where businesses and their employees can thrive,” said the Alabama Big 10 Mayors in a joint statement.

“Economic development incentives are critical in allowing that to happen. Our state’s incentive programs have proved incredibly effective in bringing investment to our state, and the return on investment we have seen since these programs were first implemented show the evidence of their success.”

The Alabama Big 10 Mayors continued: “With these programs set to expire this year, the legislature must reauthorize and expand our incentive packages so that we can continue being successful in competing with neighboring states for jobs and economic growth. We hear all the time from our constituents that they want their children and their grandchildren to be able to stay near home once they enter the workforce, but without access to high-quality jobs, that dream may not be a reality.”

“We urge the Alabama legislature to swiftly approve this package of economic incentives legislation so that our state can remain competitive and keep the jobs and businesses we have now, while attracting new jobs and investments into our economy in the future.”

An overview of the introduced economic incentives legislation is available online here: https://governor.alabama.gov/assets/2023/04/Bill-Breakdown.pdf

Reauthorizing Alabama’s economic incentives is part of the Alabama Big 10 Mayors 2023 legislative agenda, which was released in early March of this year.