Governor Bentley Details Legislative Budget Cuts to Madison County

HUNTSVILLE—Governor Robert Bentley on Wednesday met with members of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce to provide an update on a number of state issues including Alabama’s current budget crisis and the impact to Madison 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. I encourage the residents of Madison County to let their elected Senators and Representatives know that these cuts will hurt the people in Madison 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 Madison County include:

• Cuts to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency budget will force the closure of the Huntsville Trooper Post, which is one of 13 posts that will close across the state.
• As many as 25 Alabama National Guard armories will close. The Madison County armory in Huntsville is one of the 25 armories that is on the list for closure if these cuts are enacted.
• The cut to the Department of Veterans Affairs would prevent a veteran’s service officer from being hired in Madison County to help veterans.
• 210 Madison County Seniors would lose waiver funding that allows them to receive assistance at home and not in an institutional setting; 45 local support staff could lose their job.
• Over $80,000 in funding for Madison County Community Corrections would be lost, sending inmates back into an overcrowded prison system.
• Approximately 1,217 children in Madison County will lose temporary assistance from the Department of Human Resources.
• The Madison County Court System would experience layoff of 2 Court Referees, 21 Court Specialists on the Circuit Clerk’s Staff.
• The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) renews approximately 10,000 water permits every 5 years. Madison County has 510 water current permits. Under the Legislature’s proposal, the Environmental Protection Agency is highly likely to take over ADEM and a delay in renewing water permits is highly likely.
• 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 300 receive assistance in Madison County, and more than 200 are on the waiting list.

In February, Governor Bentley presented his budget plan with additional revenue for the General Fund that would avoid the devastating cuts. Governor Bentley’s budget solution includes additional revenue in the form of fair taxes and will cover the revenue shortfall in the General Fund and pay off 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.