Special to the
Opelika Observer
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan issued the following the passage of the 2020 Alabama State Budgets:
“This has been (an) unprecedented session due to the COVID-19 epidemic which imposed multiple obstacles for our elected officials to overcome. Our Republican leadership and governor managed to forge through passing both the General Fund and Education budgets to see our state through the next year.”
“While there was more belt tightening required than anticipated before the coronavirus outbreak, Alabama’s economic situation is much better than many other states in the nation – in large part due to the fiscally responsible practices of our Republican supermajority since we gained control of the legislature in 2010. We also are proud to highlight that no proration has occurred since the Alabama GOP takeover along with record breaking education budgets.”
“In fact, the 2021 General Fund Budget is $169 million larger than the previous year and includes funding increases for the Alabama Department of Public Health ($35 million), Alabama Medicaid Agency ($94 million), Alabama Department of Mental Health ($25 million), ALEA ($3 million, specifically for the hiring of additional State Troopers) and the Department of Corrections ($23 million).”
“Additionally, the Education Trust Fund is $91 million more than fiscal year 2020, and includes funding increases for our award winning early childhood education program and Alabama’s public institutions of higher learning (colleges, universities and community colleges).”
“We are confident Alabama will continue to grow its economy – even beyond what we experienced prior to the pandemic – thanks to hard working, determined Alabamians combined with the sound conservative principles our Republican officials use to guide our state. In the end, we are grateful the Republican legislative body and Gov. Ivey came together as a team to get the record breaking budgets up and out to Alabama, even with heavy burdens and concerns lingering due to COVID-19 in these unparalleled times.”