Published On: 05.27.15 | 

By: Michael Tomberlin

Gov. Bentley talks taxes, incentives and other issues affecting our state

Gov. Bentley featured image NC2

Alabama NewsCenter sat down with Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley recently to talk about economic development, incentives, job growth, taxes and the state’s image.

The interview took place before last Friday’s announcement that the state’s unemployment rate in April was 5.8 percent, up slightly from the 5.7 percent in March that Bentley references in the interview.

Gov. Robert Bentley from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Here are some of the other comments the governor made during the Alabama NewsCenter interview.


On incentives

“We have to stay with the competition around us. We are always in competition with the states around us.”

“Our incentives in the past were based on debt. In other words, we would borrow money in the 666 fund so that we would use those incentives to help recruit companies to the state. This new incentives package is based more on production than it is on debt.”

“We already have three or four companies that we’re already looking at to use this.”

“It’s a very good incentives package.”


On economic development activity in the state

“We are talking to a number of companies right now. You know, there are certain parts of the state that they tend to look at more. Certainly areas like Auburn-Opelika, the areas around Dothan, Mobile, Huntsville always. And I see more activity, I think, in the Jefferson County area in the central part of the state, which is good. We really need that. I really see activity all over the state.”


On taxes

“We need approximately $541 million. The Legislature right now is proposing around $150 million, somewhere in that range right now, but that’s a step in the right direction.”

“People sent us to Montgomery to solve problems and I’m not going to give up on this until we solve this. This has been going on for 70 years and I don’t want it to go on for 70 more years. We are at a crisis breaking point right now because if we have to cut the budget by 11 to 15 percent, there will be drastic cuts and there will be drastic problems that will affect the people of this state that people are not going to like. And, so, we just need to solve the problem and move on.”


On a lottery or gambling

“I always believe in the people’s right to vote on an issue, but gambling is not the answer. First of all, there is no gambling bill out there now that will produce any money by Oct. 1 and I have to have money by Oct. 1.”


On Alabama’s image

“Actually, I think the image of the state is good. I do. I do my best to present a good image for the State of Alabama and I want to always do that. Whether it’s recruiting industry, whether it’s retaining the companies that we have or helping small businesses grow, I try to present Alabama as a different state compared to what it was 50 years ago.”