GADSDEN—Governor Robert Bentley on Friday met with members of the Etowah County Chamber of Commerce to discuss the current budget crisis in the General Fund and the impact to Etowah County if the Legislature’s severe cuts are enacted.

“We are facing a tremendous crisis in our General Fund Budget that will impact every Alabama County if not addressed by the Alabama Legislature,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “I am committed to finding new revenue so our state agencies can continue to provide essential services to Alabamians. For decades, we have failed to address the way our non-education state agencies are funded.  With no one-time money available to support the General Fund and debts that are owed, we have a real crisis on our hands. The cuts in the Legislative proposal impact all 67 counties in Alabama. I encourage the residents of Etowah County to let their elected representatives know that these cuts will hurt the people in Etowah County.”

The Alabama Legislature is considering a proposal that deeply cuts funding for state services. Each state agency was created by law to provide specific services to taxpayers.  If enacted, these cuts will put the state in a position incapable of providing many of the essential services of government.

The specific cuts to Etowah County include:

• The Gadsden State Trooper Post would close. In addition, almost 100 state troopers would be laid off statewide
• The cut to the Department of Veterans Affairs would prevent a veterans service officer from being hired in Etowah County to help veterans
• 83 Etowah County Seniors would lose waiver funding that allows them to receive assistance at home and not in an institutional setting
• Over $350,000 in funding for Etowah County Community Corrections would be lost, sending inmates back into an overcrowded prison system
• Approximately 230 children in Etowah County will lose temporary assistance from the Department of Human Resources
• The Etowah County Court System would experience the layoff of 3 Juvenile Probation Officers and 12 Court Specialists on the Circuit Clerk’s Staff
• The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) renews approximately 10,000 water permits every 5 years.  Etowah County has 160 water current permits.  Under the Legislature’s proposal, the Environmental Protection Agency is highly likely to take over ADEM causing a delay in permitting and thus creating a burden on businesses and threatening job creation in the area.
• Over 5,000 people statewide currently receive assistance for intellectual disabilities in their community. Over 1,000 people statewide would be eliminated from receiving assistance for intellectual disabilities. Over 200 receive assistance in Etowah County, and over 70 are on the waiting list.

In February, Governor Bentley presented his budget solution with additional revenue for the General Fund that would avoid the devastating cuts.  Governor Bentley’s solution includes a package of bills that will raise specific taxes and eliminate certain deductions in order to create a more fair tax structure in our state. This solution will cover the revenue shortfall in the General Fund and pay off tens of millions of dollars in debt the state owes. Details on the Governor’s revenue package can be found here.

“Now is the time for real solutions to address our budget challenges.  I was elected to solve problems, and I urge members of the Legislature to work with me to put this state on a successful path forward.  By working together, we can make Alabama better for future generations,” Bentley added.

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