Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth Speaks at Chamber Luncheon
“Not long ago, some were concerned that the State of Alabama might lose a congressional seat, maybe even two. Instead, our state has grown by 5%,” said Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, who was the featured speaker at the Leeds Area Chamber’s monthly luncheon on September 21. “From a fiscal standpoint, the state is in the best position it’s ever been in, and we are fiscally very sound,” he continued. Ainsworth stressed the importance of helping small businesses, adding that about 9,000 small businesses closed during the pandemic. Liability insurance for restaurants has been reduced and tax cuts provided for small businesses. Increased penalties and jail time have reduced retail theft. Among issues that have improved for our state since he took office are the collection of sales taxes from online businesses.
Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth Speaks at Chamber Luncheon
Top priorities for Ainsworth include making sure that competitive salaries are offered for teachers and that schools have the tools they need to be successful in teaching our kids; workforce development, including hiring career coaches to help students understand important concepts of education; and cyber security, and he also added that we have not given up on getting the space command located in Alabama.
He stated that Kay Ivey, during her tenure as Lt. Gov., created the Military Stability Commission, which has been instrumental in helping military families relocate to Alabama. A spouse liaison is available to help as needed. They have also worked with AHSAA to see that military families who move into a failing school district are not penalized in terms of sports eligibility if they choose to enroll their children in a different district. In terms of economic development, he said, the Grow in Alabama Act has helped to ensure that shovel-ready sites are available for businesses that want to locate in our state. Recruiting corporate headquarters to Alabama has also become a priority. Ainsworth was elected Lt. Gov. in 2018 and is now in his second term. A delicious meal was provided by Irondale Cafe. The next luncheon will be held on Thursday, October 19, at Leeds First Methodist Church.
