Blog
Public policy should make life better for everyone, not just a select few. Throughout the year, Arise tracks a range of state and federal policy proposals and assesses what they would mean for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet. Our blog provides quick updates on these proposals and offers tips on what you can do to help build an Alabama where all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.
Blog
Alabama Arise needs your voice now more than ever!
You can have a bigger impact when you unite your voice with thousands of other Alabamians who want to make our state a better place. Please become an Alabama Arise member today. We’re working to improve state policies and remove barriers to opportunity for Alabamians with low incomes. Here are just a few of the [...]
Blog
As education revenues fall, it’s time to strengthen Alabama’s tax system
It’s a truism often heard during budget hearings at the Alabama State House: “All the growth taxes go to education.” Legislators commonly say this to bemoan relatively flat revenue for the General Fund (GF), even when the economy is booming. Meanwhile, the Education Trust Fund (ETF) budget grows by comparative leaps and bounds. There is [...]
Blog
Risk of education, General Fund cuts remains after shortened Alabama legislative session
Funding for education, health care and other vital services is deeply uncertain as Alabama’s revenues plummet during the COVID-19 recession. In May, lawmakers enacted 2021 Education Trust Fund (ETF) and General Fund (GF) budgets that are larger than this year’s. But as consumer spending falls and massive unemployment persists, the Legislature will reevaluate those plans [...]
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You’re invited to Arise’s Town Hall Tuesdays!
Arise’s statewide online summer listening sessions are a chance to hear what’s happening on key state policy issues and share your vision for our 2021 policy agenda. Register now to help identify emerging issues and inform our work to build a better Alabama. We'd love to see you at any or all of these sessions! [...]
Blog
Alabama must tear down the legacies of slavery and segregation
The monument stood in Birmingham for decades as a twisted tribute to Alabama’s original sins: slavery and white supremacy. It “honored” a violent rebellion that sought to protect the enslavement of human beings. During segregation and Jim Crow and civil rights protests and into the 21st century, it served as a daily 52-foot-tall reminder of [...]
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Arise legislative update: May 21, 2020
Alabama legislators ended the regular session this week by enacting education and General Fund budgets for 2021. But as the COVID-19 downturn hammers state tax revenues, we fear lawmakers' optimism surrounding these budgets could be misplaced. Arise's Carol Gundlach explains why the Legislature likely will return for one or more special sessions later this year [...]
Resources
Protection from predatory lenders should be part of Alabama’s COVID-19 response
While COVID-19 forces Alabamians to deal with health concerns, job losses and drastic disruption of everyday life, predatory lenders stand ready to take advantage of their misfortune. Our state policymakers should act to protect borrowers before these harmful loans make the pandemic’s financial devastation even worse. The volume of high-cost payday loans, which can carry [...]
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Community eligibility ensures future success of Alabama’s child nutrition programs
Even during “normal” times, one in four Alabama children goes to bed each night uncertain where they’ll get their next meal. Sadly, the COVID-19 economic downturn has likely pushed that number higher. Most days, hungry children can look forward to school meals to help keep them fed. But school closures amid the pandemic have disrupted [...]
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Pandemic EBT keeps Alabama children fed when school meals aren’t an option
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of nearly every Alabama family, including families with school-aged children. All of a sudden, parents have to double as teachers, coaches and lunchroom cooks and servers. Parents with low incomes are also stretching limited grocery dollars to replace meals that their children normally got at school – often [...]
Blog
Arise update: May 1, 2020
As job losses and business closures mount, state revenues for education, health care and other public services are likely to plummet. Arise's Carol Gundlach discusses how progressive tax changes would help prevent cuts to these services and help Alabama rebuild its economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about our proposals here.