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

A crisis is coming to Alabama, but you aren’t hearing much about it

Rep. Craig Ford Our state government is no stranger to crises. We’ve had multiple budget crises, Medicaid crises and, most recently, a crisis related to our prison system. But there is another growing crisis that hasn’t gotten the media attention these other issues have; It’s a crisis that could have a devastating impact on Alabama’s … Continued

Craig Ford

August 24, 2017

Opinion

If Etowah County Commission won’t step up for The Mega Sport Complex, Legislative Delegation should

Guest Editorial by Rep. Craig Ford Every day I run into people who tell me how much they want Etowah County to have its own sports complex. And in almost every single one of these conversations, I always get asked, “But Craig, do you really think we will ever actually get it done?” I do … Continued

Craig Ford

July 27, 2017

Opinion

Replacing ACT Aspire with the actual ACT is as dumb as it gets

By Rep. Craig Ford Last week, our State Superintendent of Education announced a decision that is so spectacularly stupid you almost have to assume the intention is to hurt our schools. That decision is to replace the ACT preparation exam, called the ACT Aspire, with the actual ACT as a measure of school accountability. Think … Continued

Craig Ford

July 20, 2017

Opinion

You can’t fix schools by abandoning them

By State Representative Craig Ford You can’t fix something that is broken by abandoning it. A car that breaks down on the side of the road won’t repair itself. If you want the car to run again, you have to give it the repairs it needs. The same is true when it comes to education. … Continued

Craig Ford

July 12, 2017

Opinion

Can’t never could

Rep. Craig Ford One of the things I learned from my dad when I was young, is that you can accomplish the things that may seem impossible; things that other people tell you can’t be done. More than once, somebody (sometimes even me) would tell my dad that something couldn’t be done. But dad would … Continued

Craig Ford

July 6, 2017

Opinion

The Legislature needs to pass the Lottery in the Special Session

Guest Editorial from Rep. Craig Ford The Alabama Legislature is quickly running out of excuses for failing to let the people vote on a State Lottery. Last summer, Gov. Bentley called a Special Session specifically for the purpose of passing a Lottery. After passing out of the State Senate, the Lottery went to the House … Continued

Craig Ford

June 8, 2017

Opinion

It’s not about right wing and left wing, it’s about right and wrong

By Rep. Craig Ford It would be easy to think nothing good has happened lately in the world of Alabama politics, and that Montgomery is so mired in corruption and bickering that nothing ever gets done. After all, the Legislative Session that just ended began with one governor and ended with a different one; tensions … Continued

Craig Ford

May 25, 2017

Opinion

State feeling buyer’s remorse on Superintendent of Education

Rep. Craig Ford When we hear the words, “buyer’s remorse,” we usually think of somebody who bought a car they couldn’t afford or some luxury item that ended up not being as great as they thought it would be. But the term also applies to the way a lot of members of the Alabama Legislature … Continued

Craig Ford

May 4, 2017

Opinion

Hypocrisy, injustice from the Alabama Legislature

By Rep. Craig Ford State Legislatures and the US Congress typically have the lowest approval ratings of any government branch or agency, and last week the Alabama Legislature showed exactly why that is. The same State Legislators who made their own pay raises part of the State Constitution, and are subsequently receiving more than a … Continued

Craig Ford

March 22, 2017

Opinion

Is the Legislature about to pass a $250 million backdoor tax increase?

By Rep. Craig Ford It doesn’t claim to be a $250 million tax increase, but that’s exactly what would happen if the State Legislature passes a proposed bill to privatize the state’s ABC stores. Though it may seem like a reasonable, pro-private sector bill that would decrease government bureaucracy and expenses, in reality this bill … Continued

Craig Ford

March 16, 2017