Infrastructure

Alabama’s new gas tax has its first legal challenge — at least to a portion of it. Tom Fredricks, a Morgan County business owner who ran unsuccessfully for an Alabama House seat last year, has filed a challenge to the portion of the gas tax that allows for the revenue to be spent dredging the … Continued

One of the problems exposed during the gas tax debate was the fact that $63 million a year gets diverted out of the Alabama Department of Transportation’s road and bridge funding to pay for state troopers and the court system. The logic (if you can call it that) for this transfer of funds is that … Continued

Tuesday, the Alabama Senate passed Governor Kay Ivey’s (R) plan to raise fuel taxes to pay for significant increases in road projects and to improve the Port of Mobile. Senate President Pro Tempore Del Marsh, R-Anniston, supported the Senate’s approval of the Rebuild Alabama Act. “Over the last ten years we have seen unprecedented growth … Continued

Thursday, the state House Transportation Utilities, and Infrastructure Committee gave a favorable report to a three-bill infrastructure and fuel tax increase package introduced by state Representative Bill Poole. R-Tuscaloosa. Poole told the committee that the passage of the legislation to increase fuel taxes was “critical moment in the history of the state in my judgment.” … Continued

The Alabama Senate Transportation and Energy Committee on Thursday approved a bill by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, that places new oversight of the Alabama Department of Transportation. The State Legislature is heading into day three Friday of a special session that Gov. Kay Ivey called to address her Rebuild Alabama plan for increased infrastructure funding. … Continued

Stop the Alabama Gas Tax PAC said that Alabamians should view Tuesday night’s special session announcement from Gov. Kay Ivey and the Legislature’s cooperation as “governmental malpractice.” “Montgomery politicians are coming for your wallet and they’re coming fast,” Ralph Long, chairman of the Stop the Alabama Gas Tax PAC said Wednesday. “This special session, held … Continued

Gov. Kay Ivey called a special session of the Alabama Legislature on Tuesday, just an hour after finishing her State of the State address and less than a full day into the Legislature’s 2019 regular session. Calling a special session within a regular session isn’t new, but special session are more commonly called during the … Continued

Democratic leaders in the Alabama House and Senate said Tuesday there is no consensus among their caucuses about whether to support Gov. Kay Ivey’s proposed gas tax increase. They say the debate will be a defining moment for their caucus nonetheless and will give them an opportunity to have some leverage as GOP leaders may … Continued