County Commission | The Magazine May 2019

NE WS Y OU CAN USE R e b uil d Al a b a m a A ct Fir st I n cr e a s e t o R e c urri n g F u n di n g f or C o u nt y R o a d s a n d Bri d g e s Si n c e 1 9 9 2 I n si d e t h e St at e C a pit ol, n e w s m e di a p a c k e d t h e Ol d H o u s e C h a m b er f or t h e si g ni n g of t h e R e b uil d Al a b a m a A ct. T h e s u c c e s sf ul s p e ci al s e s si o n l a st e d l e s s t h a n a w e e k, b ut a d v o c at e s h a d b e e n w or ki n g t o w ar d t hi s m o m e nt f or y e ar s. P h ot o s: G ov er n or’ s Offi c e T he re alit y m a y still be si n ki n g i n: t he Al a ba m a L e gisl at ure di d i ncre ase f uel t a xes t o f u n d i m pr o ve me nts i n r oa ds a n d bri d ges m ai nt ai ne d b y c o u nties, cities a n d t he St ate. M arc h 5 w as t he o pe ni n g d a y of t he 2 0 1 9 Re g ul ar Sessi o n of t he Al a ba m a L e gisl at ure. Th at e ve ni n g, G o v. K a y I ve y deli vere d her St ate of t he St ate a d dress i n t he Ol d H o use C h a m ber, n a mi n g i nfr astr uct ure i n vest me nt as o ne of her t o p pri orities f or t he c o mi n g ye ar. E xactl y o ne wee k later, Ive y was bac k i n t he sa me r o o m t o si g n t he Re b uil d Ala ba ma Act i nt o la w. S he t weete d: @ G o ver n or K ayI vey ( M arc h 1 2, 2 0 1 9): To d ay is tr uly a hist oric d ay for A L! By p assi ng t he Re b uil d Al a b a m a Act, t he Legisl at ure h as e ns ure d A L’s i nfr astr uct ure will be i m pr o ve d for ge ner ati o ns G o v. K a y I v e y c h a m pi o n e d t h e n e e d f or i nfr a str u ct ur e i n v e st m e nt i n h er St at e of t h e St at e a d dr e s s a n d v ari o u s pr e s s e v e nt s b ef or e c alli n g t h e Al a b a m a L e gi sl at ur e i nt o s p e ci al s e s si o n t o a d dr e s s t h e si n gl e dir e i s s u e. t o co me. This w as n’t a n e asy t as k, b ut t he me n & w o me n of t he Legisl at ure b ol dly c a me t oget her t o ﬁ x a dec a des ol d pr o ble m. W h at h a p pe ne d i n t h at wee k’s ti me? L a w m a kers i nterr u pte d t heir j ust- be g u n Re g ul ar Sessi o n f or a ﬁ ve- d a y s pe ci al sessi o n f oc use d o n tr a ns p ort ati o n f u n di n g, c a p pi n g a m ulti- ye ar e ﬀ ort b y c o u nties a n d a br oa d c oaliti o n t o i m pr o ve Al a ba m a’s r oa ds a n d bri d ges. Alt o get her, t he act g ar nere d “ yes” v otes fr o m a bi p artis a n gr o u p of 1 1 1 le gisl at ors – 8 3 i n t he H o use a n d 2 8 i n t he Se n ate – re prese nti n g s u p p ort fr o m ur ba n, s u b ur ba n a n d r ur al are as i n e ver y re gi o n of t he st ate. The A ct is hist oric be c a use it is Al a ba m a’s ﬁrst i ncre ase i n re c urri n g f u n di n g f or r oa ds a n d bri d ges si nc e 1 9 9 2. Re ve n ue c o mes pri m aril y fr o m a p h ase d-i n, C O U N T Y C O M MI S SI O N | 9

County Commission | The Magazine May 2019 | Page 9