Economic Development
Economic development equals jobs; jobs equal family-sustaining wages and tax revenue that leads to more prosperity for our area and state. The effect continues to spiral upward with more consumers making purchases, the job pool for universities and colleges increasing, and education receiving more funding. Every citizen wins when economic development is healthy. That is one of my top priorities.

Attracting and keeping new businesses and industries is critical in creating stable economic growth, yet Alabama is losing its publically traded companies at an alarming rate…from 48 down to 19 in a little over a decade. That decline directly influenced Alabama’s unemployment rate that stands at 11 percent today. And, it’s a discouraging fact that few new corporations are standing in line to locate in our area. The reasons are many; however, pointing fingers is non-productive. We must make economic development for job creation a top priority and find smart solutions to creating an environment that attracts companies to our state.