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Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford

Alabama’s public schools do not “suck”

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford Gov. Bentley made headlines a few weeks ago when he told an audience at a public forum that our public school system “sucks.” But Gov. Bentley is wrong about our public school system. Alabama’s high school graduation rate rose 18 percent between 2011 and 2015. Today, 89.3 percent of … Continued
December 1, 2016

Time for accountability

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford The election is over and now the real work begins. Part of that work means holding our leaders accountable for their promises and commitments, and both sides of the aisle have plenty to be held accountable for. Republicans now have absolute power across all branches of our federal and … Continued
November 16, 2016

Reviewing The Amendments On The Nov. 8th Ballot

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford When voters cast their ballots next month, they will be voting on more than just the presidential race and other important offices; they will also be deciding the fate of fourteen amendments to our state constitution. The first amendment is related to the Auburn University Board of Trustees. It … Continued
October 14, 2016

VictoryLand Reopening Is A Victory For Democracy

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford I have always believed that gambling is an issue that should be decided by the voters. And I will never understand why, in the middle of the biggest economic recession our country has seen since the Great Depression, our state leaders chose to put hundreds of people out of … Continued
September 22, 2016

State Senators Killed The Lottery. Will They Kill The BP Bill, Too?

By Minority Leader Rep Craig Ford The governor called the Alabama Legislature into a special legislative session this summer with two things in mind: pass a lottery and pass a spending plan for the BP oil spill settlement. So far, the Legislature hasn’t done too well with passing either of these bills. The lottery came … Continued
September 2, 2016

Debt Is The Real Reason For The Special Legislative Session

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford The Alabama Legislature returned to Montgomery this week for what may end up being only the first of more special legislative sessions. The governor said the purpose for this legislative session was to vote on a lottery to fund Medicaid and other general fund proposals. While the lottery is … Continued
August 19, 2016

The State Giveth, And The State Taketh Away

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford When it comes to pay raises for our educators, the state giveth and the state taketh away. This year was supposed to be the first time our public educators received a true raise since 2008. Before that, the legislature cut educators’ and state employees’ pay by 2.5 percent (by … Continued
August 11, 2016

Why The Lottery Must Go To Scholarships, And Won’t Save Medicaid Or The General Fund Budget

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford Over the last year or so, the lottery has been getting more and more attention and support from state legislators. The lottery is extremely popular, getting over 60 percent favorable support in all the public opinion polls that I’ve seen. The debate these days isn’t so much over whether … Continued
July 27, 2016

It’s Pride – Not The People – That Gov. Bentley Knows

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford One of the most famous scriptures in the Bible says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” That scripture kept running through my mind this past week as Gov. Bentley repeatedly claimed that he knows the people of Alabama “better than anyone” and that they are not … Continued
June 24, 2016

Breaking The Pattern Of Corruption In Alabama Politics

By Minority Leader Rep. Craig Ford We’ve all heard the famous saying, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It’s more than just a saying, really. It’s a lesson from history that Alabama leaders have continued to repeat over and over again. The conviction of House Speaker Mike Hubbard, the suspension and pending hearing of … Continued
June 14, 2016