Author

Stephen Stetson

Keep The Faith: Alabama’s Lending Reform Movement Will Win

By Stephen Stetson It’s no secret that tremendous wealth can open doors, and you don’t have to look far to see the colossal power of money in the political process. Here in Alabama, the high-cost lending industries are throwing hefty sums of money around, merging affluence with influence and hoping to keep lawmakers and regulators … Continued

Stephen Stetson

August 1, 2016

Opinion

How Will Future Alabamians View the Legacy of Today’s Leaders?

By Stephen Stetson Today, April 26, is the birthday of one of Alabama’s greatest governors: Charles Henderson. Henderson was far from perfect, and judged by contemporary standards, he certainly had many of the failings on race and other issues that you might expect of a person born in Alabama in 1860. But in other areas, … Continued

Stephen Stetson

April 25, 2016

A Good First Step Toward Payday Lending Reform

By Stephen Stetson We’re calling for payday lending reform in Alabama, and we’re not alone. For years, reform of high-cost lending has been the goal of the Alliance for Responsible Lending in Alabama (ARLA), an incredibly wide-ranging coalition of activists and advocates. The groups pushing for reform span the spectrum, including Arise Citizens’ Policy Project, … Continued

Stephen Stetson

April 1, 2016

Opinion

It’s time for Alabama to override its judicial override policy

By Stephen Stetson Executions have been on hold in Alabama since 2013 amid litigation about lethal injection and the chemicals used to kill. Next year, a federal judge will hear two challenges to Alabama’s lethal injection protocol. No matter what the judge decides, the question is not whether Alabama will start executing people again, but … Continued

Stephen Stetson

December 4, 2015

Opinion

Don’t Punt Alabama Prison Reform for Another Generation

By Stephen StetsonPolicy Analyst for Arise Citizens’ Policy Project Spring cleaning sometimes turns up surprises. While reorganizing my desk recently, I found a 25-year-old report on one of today’s hottest policy topics: reform of Alabama’s overcrowded prison system. Sadly, many of its recommendations are still applicable today. Stuffed amid other documents, the 1990 report by … Continued

Stephen Stetson

May 6, 2015

Opinion

Beyond the gallon: Alabama should modernize gas tax to meet transportation needs

By Stephen Stetson Want to understand why Alabama has a broken transportation system? Here’s an easy experiment: Go to the grocery store and buy a gallon of milk. Take it home and set it on the table. Now, just look at it. Keep watching. No matter how long you stare, the container won’t get any … Continued

Stephen Stetson

December 19, 2014

Opinion

Taking My Ball and Going Home: Predatory Lenders Respond to Reform Efforts

By Stephen Stetson, Policy Analyst, Alabama Arise How do predatory lenders react when a broad coalition of Alabamians line up against usury and high-cost loans? Charles Hunter is a professional spokesperson for a highly profitable collection of businesses in Alabama – payday and auto title lenders. He recently penned a piece attacking critics of those … Continued

Stephen Stetson

April 19, 2013