May 13, 2009

Bill Could Help Alabama Recruit New Jobs, But Time Running Out on Session

MONTGOMERY - The Alabama Senate needs to pass an economic incentives bill before the end of the session to help Alabama compete for projects that could result in more than 7,000 new jobs, Neal Wade, Director of the Alabama Development Office, said.

The bill, which Governor Riley announced in his State of the State Address at the start of the session, passed the House 99-0 last week. It is in position to gain Senate approval before the end of the 2009 legislation session, which ends Friday.

“We’re actively competing today for 7,000 jobs connected to projects,” said Wade. “It would be a big boost to our efforts if the Senate will pass this bill. It could make the difference in winning or losing these jobs.”

Currently, Alabama’s statutory economic incentives are focused almost entirely on manufacturing industries. The proposal before the Senate would extend Alabama’s statutory economic development incentives to include incentives for corporate headquarters, research and development facilities, and “green” employers.