Author

Craig Ford

Craig Ford is the owner of Ford Insurance and the Gadsden Messenger. He represented Etowah County in the Alabama House of Representatives for 18 years.

News

Who’s Leading The Alabama House of Representatives?

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford Every organization needs leaders. An Army needs a general. A team needs a coach. A company needs a president or CEO. The Alabama House of Representatives also needs leadership, especially when we are facing a crisis like the one we are facing now. But over the last few … Continued

Craig Ford

May 19, 2015

Opinion

Republicans Are Trading In That “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” Slogan For “Taxes, Taxes, Taxes”

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford After five years of passing millions of dollars in tax cuts for big businesses and billion-dollar, out-of-state corporations that, in some cases, pay zero state income taxes, Republicans in the state House of Representatives are about to raise taxes on working men and women. Only six months after … Continued

Craig Ford

May 13, 2015

Opinion

Our Legislature Thinks Brown Shrimp Are More Important Than People

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford When I first saw the list of bills we would be debating in the state House of Representative last Thursday, I thought it was a joke. The first bill up for debate was a bill to make brown shrimp the official state crustacean. This is your state legislature’s priorities, … Continued

Craig Ford

May 5, 2015

Opinion

With Republican Lottery Bill Coming This Week, Maybe Democrats Won The 2014 Elections After All?

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford Late Saturday night, Inside Alabama Politics reported that Republicans in the Alabama Legislature will introduce their own gambling bill this week, which will include a lottery and authorization for a possible compact with the Poarch Creek Indians. On the one hand, I’m glad to see Republicans embracing the Democratic … Continued

Craig Ford

April 27, 2015

Opinion

A Big Step Forward For The Lottery And A Bipartisan Solution To The Budget Crisis

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford It isn’t often these days that you see Democrats and Republicans agreeing on major policies. But that’s exactly what began to happen last week. It is no secret that our General Fund budget is in desperate shape. The proposed budget cuts that were released the other week would gut … Continued

Craig Ford

April 14, 2015

Opinion

A Disturbing Trend in the Alabama Legislature: Anti-Women Legislation

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford My wife, Gwen, is an incredible woman. I see it every day of my life. Not just in how hard she works or in the way she supports me, but in the most important job any of us could ever have: being a parent. Gwen always goes above and … Continued

Craig Ford

April 9, 2015

Opinion

Congressman Aderholt Needs To Earn His Award

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford Gadsden’s representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Robert Aderholt, was recently chosen as the National Association of Development Organizations’ Legislator of the Year. In the article announcing the award, Congressman Aderholt said he was honored to receive an award from an organization dedicated to growing communities. The … Continued

Craig Ford

April 3, 2015

Opinion

Would You Rather Have A Democrat’s Lottery, or Republicans’ Taxes?

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford This week is the legislature’s Spring Break, and we are now almost a third of the way through the legislative session. And as last week came to an end, legislative leaders were quick to congratulate themselves on passing their legislative agenda. I’m sure the taxpayers will be relieved Republicans … Continued

Craig Ford

March 23, 2015

Opinion

Why Charter Schools Are A Bad Idea

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford Other than the $700 million hole in the state’s General Fund budget, no issue has been more talked about than the charter school bill. Republicans in the Alabama legislature have made charter schools a part of their legislative agenda, and a priority in this legislative session (which is ironic, … Continued

Craig Ford

March 16, 2015

Opinion

An Ironic Time For History To Repeat Itself

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford It amazes me to think how far we’ve come over the last 50 years, and yet how far it seems we still have to go. All eyes were on Selma during the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday-and rightfully so. The march that took place all those years ago brought … Continued

Craig Ford

March 11, 2015