By Slade Blackwell
Recently, Alabama was mentioned in articles from national publications such as The New York Times and the Associated Press, all highlighting the resurgence of cities and culture in Alabama.
From the redevelopment of downtown Birmingham to the beaches of the Gulf Coast, these articles prove it is an exciting time to be in Alabama and in surrounding areas like Trussville. From new developments to new attitudes, Alabama is certainly showing a lot of promise for the future.
Slade Blackwell
photo courtesy of www.sladeblackwell.com
As your state senator, I have made it a priority to focus on ways in which we can develop small businesses and make it easier to do business in Alabama. I believe our small business owners are truly the basis for our economy in Alabama. Over the past few legislative sessions, my legislative colleagues and I have worked hard to pass major legislation that will continue to spur economic development in Birmingham and throughout the state by providing tax incentives for investing and developing new businesses.
The Historic Preservation Tax Credit bill is one that I am especially proud of and one mentioned in the recent New York Times article about the rebirth of downtown Birmingham. This bill provides an income tax credit of up to $5 million for the rehabilitation of historic structures in the state. I am excited to see how this bill will affect the redevelopment of towns and cities across Alabama. Additionally, the Red Tape Reduction Act, which aims at protecting small businesses, is a milestone for the business community in Alabama.
The legislature begins the 2014 legislative session in January. Until then, I am working on legislation to help our Alabama businesses and create a strong economic community for the state. While we have already accomplished a lot to create jobs and help our small businesses, there is still a lot to be done. The momentum in Birmingham and in Alabama is changing for the better and I am excited that we are all a part of it.
Slade Blackwell is serving his first term in the Alabama State Senate representing Jefferson and Shelby counties in District 15. For more information about Slade, visit www.sladeblackwell.com or follow him on Facebook or on Twitter @sladeblackwell. To reach him by phone, call 334-242-7851 or email him at sb@sladeblackwell.com.
