Great Recession Archives • Alabama Political Reporter

GDP fell by an unprecedented 9.5 percent in second quarter

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released its advance estimate of U.S. GDP for the second quarter of 2020 reflecting the months of April, May and June dropped 9.5 percent in the second quarter, According to the BEA report, real GDP contracted at an unprecedented annualized rate of 32.9 percent. This is the largest quarterly decline … Continued

July 31, 2020

Brooks wants to suspend guest worker programs

Thursday, Congressman Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) announced that he and five other members of the U.S. House of Representatives have sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump (R). “38+ million Americans have lost their jobs in the last 2 months,” Rep. Brooks wrote on social media. “The April unemployment rate was 14.7%, the highest rate … Continued

May 26, 2020

State will not need to prorate the 2020 budgets

Two Senate committees met Monday on the 2020 budgets and moved the 2021 budgets. Despite the massive economic shutdown that has crippled the state economy and thousands of businesses, reporters were assured that there will not be any need to prorate either the general fund or the education trust fund budgets in 2020. Senate President … Continued

April 29, 2020

Sewell pushes tool for Alabamians who don’t ordinarily file tax returns to get coronavirus direct payment

Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell, D-Montgomery, announced tools Thursday to help Alabamians who do not normally file income tax returns the ability to still receive their coronavirus crisis direct payment. “The IRS has released important new information for Alabamians to access their coronavirus direct payments,” Sewell said in a statement. “Over 80 million Americans have received … Continued

April 17, 2020

State leaders unveil a major mental health legislative initiative

Wednesday, House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter, R – Rainsville, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth (R), Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon, R – Monrovia, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R – Anniston, Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Lynn Beshear, State Education Superintendent Eric Mackey, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, as well as the … Continued

February 27, 2020

House passes Tier III retirement for education employees

Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill to expand retirement benefits for education employees. House Bill 76 is sponsored by State Representative Alan Baker (R-Brewton). Baker said that Tier III benefits for educators is necessary to encourage teachers to stay in education and to recruit new teachers to the state. Rep. Thomas Jackson … Continued

February 24, 2020

Trump administration plans to kick 3.1 million off of SNAP benefits

A change proposed Wednesday by the Trump administration could take away food assistance for 3.1 million vulnerable Americans. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps feed 36.3 million Americans, according to the United States Department ofAgriculture. That’s down from the 47.6 million who received that help just after the Great Recession. Agriculture Secretary Sonny … Continued

July 26, 2019

Alabama tax revenues are up but still below pre-Great Recession levels

Last year was a great year for most state governments, with a few notable exceptions. In Alabama, tax revenues are soaring, but have not entirely recovered from pre-Great Recession levels. According to a new study by the Pew Charitable Trust, 36 states collected more tax revenue than they did at their pre-Great Recession peaks, after … Continued

January 23, 2019

New residential construction is up from October

Privately-owned housing starts in November 2018 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,256,000. This is a 3.2 percent increase above the revised October 2018 estimate of 1,217,000. The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly made the announcement following the release of new residential construction statistics for … Continued

December 21, 2018