Corruption-free Ivey can bring growth to state

Sam StroudStaff Writer With the Alabama gubernatorial election less than a month away, Republican incumbent Kay Ivey is leading most polls with over 50 percent of the vote. There are a few reasons for this lead other than the R next to the Alabama governor’s name. In the aftermath of former Gov. Robert Bentley’s scandalous resignation after he was caught having an affair with his communications director, Ivey promised that her administration would be open and transparent. Ivey has stood by that promise. While the lower levels of government are fraught with corruption, Ivey has preserved the integrity of the Governor’s Mansion. Immediately after taking office, Ivey asked that all Bentley appointees resign, and she dismissed several cabinet members. Ivey herself has never been accused of corruption and even banned lobbyists from receiving executive appointments. Her leadership after replacing Bentley shows that she can be trusted to fight against the political corruption that plagues our state. Many of Ivey’s accomplishments also include an increase in investments within Alabama. Alabama will be the beneficiary of a new Toyota-Mazda plant that is expected to bring 4,000 jobs to the state. This $1.6 billion investment, coupled with a billion-dollar expansion of Mercedes-Benz, has contributed to an overall $5 billion investment increase in Alabama since Ivey took office. These results can be traced back to Ivey’s policies of cutting government regulation and making the state more inviting to investors and corporations. Alabama is enjoying its lowest unemployment rate in history at 3.5 percent. This investment boom has had a positive impact on Alabama’s workforce with 12,000 jobs added, partly due to the influx of new investors. Ivey is a pro-business, anti-corruption leader. She has never wavered on her commitment to helping the middle class and keeping the executive branch clean of any major scandal. If you want a governor who believes in trickle-down economics, and is actively fighting to keep her administration clean, Ivey is a perfect candidate.