Governor Ivey Introduces The Game Plan, “A Legislative Agenda to Fuel Employment and ensure Alabama’s economic Future”

Montgomery, AL –Governor Kay Ivey yesterday launched her plan to sustain Alabama’s growth in the economy, The Game Plan, the proposed package comprising four bills to promote economic development that will increase Alabama’s ability to compete for jobs-creating projects. The Governor Ivey is joined by the top leaders in Alabama’s legislature Alabama Legislature to demonstrate the bipartisan support of The Game Plan.

In a briefing for the press in Montgomery’s Riverwalk Stadium, Governor Ivey declared that the implementation of the plan is essential to ensure Alabama’s stability in the economy despite uncertainty.

“The Game Plan will position Alabama for a new period of rapid growth, allowing us to sustain our record-breaking achievements in economic development and provide new levels of support to the state’s entrepreneurial business,” said Governor Ivey. “This program will help all residents of Alabama who live in cities and in rural areas. It will also ensure the state’s citizens are prepared for lucrative jobs.”

Game Plan package Game Plan package includes four bills, also known as “plays” -which will be introduced in the current session of the Legislature:

• Play 1 1. the Strengthening the Alabama’s Economic Progress Act renews the Alabama Jobs Act and the Growing Alabama program and extends the expiration dates for both programs to 2028, while introducing strategic improvements to boost the effectiveness of both programs. It is important to note that the Jobs Act is the state’s primary incentive program, and Growing Alabama is primarily geared towards accelerating the creation of sites that are shovel ready.
• Play 2 Play 2: the Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act (SEEDS) will permit for the State Industrial Development Authority to speed up the development of industry-ready sites in a time where sites are in short supply while other states have expanded their sites programs.
• Play 3 Play 3: the Innovation and Small Business Act will help boost the growth of Alabama’s innovative economy and help underrepresented companies and businesses located in the rural regions, turning Alabama into a major hub for innovation and technology.
• Play 4 the Enhancing Transparency Act amendments to the Jobs Act to require the Alabama Department of Commerce to provide certain incentive-related project information on its website. Transparency in the information provided to businesses that receive incentives will be a valuable public good and improve faith in the system.

In support the idea of The Game Plan at today’s event included Lieutenant. Governor. Will Ainsworth, state Senate President Pro Tempo Greg Reed (R-Jasper), Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville), Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) and House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville).

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce since 2011, and Alabama’s highest-ranking economic development official also has expressed his support for the proposed package.

“The Game Plan represents the state’s next-generation economic development plan, which is created to ensure the future of Alabama’s economy and create a roadmap for growth that will benefit communities and families all across Alabama,” declared Secretary Canfield. “It keeps us at the forefront of high-impact projects, since our neighbors are accelerating their economic development initiatives.”

The Jobs Act took effect in July 2015, the law has been used for economic development initiatives that have brought in $22 billion of capital investment as well as 40,000 jobs for the state, as per information obtained from the Alabama Department of Commerce. About 6,000 jobs have come to the rural counties in the state.

The jobs that these projects create will earn an average hourly rate of $23.42 which is 31% higher than the median wage in the state as per Commerce statistics.

Should you are a member of the Jobs Act is not renewed by the Legislature the Jobs Act will expire on the 31st day of July of this year. So is that of the Growing Alabama tax credit program.

The event today comes just a few several days before Governor Ivey declared that the economic development projects scheduled for 2022 will generate more than $10 billion of new capital investments for the state, setting the record for the most consecutive year.

The leaders of the Legislative Assembly emphasized the importance of taking action to implement The Game Plan package.

Lt. Gov. Ainsworth: “Our goal is simple We want to provide the highest quality incentives, not just in the Southeast as well as across the entire country. The reauthorization of these programs is likely to be vital in attracting well-paying, lasting 21st Century jobs.”

Sen. Reed: “When you look at the issues that Alabamans care about jobs and economic development, job creation are top of the list. States in the region are trying to create jobs and generate economic growth. It is imperative to ensure that we’re in the best position to draw these jobs of high-quality to the communities of our state.”

Speaker Ledbetter “Industries all over the nation are looking to move here due to our top employees, our tax-free environment and our high standard of living. From a standpoint of competitiveness we must ensure that we have the resources to lure them in and stay here.”

Sen. Singleton: “Growing Alabama’s economy and creating jobs for our residents is something that we can all can agree on.”

Rep. Daniels: “We will continue to advocate for practical and effective laws and policies that reflect our positive growth, pro-innovation and pro-growth platform.”