I want to contrast this big industry coming to Alabama with an even bigger industry that really wants to come to Alabama but has not been invited to come. I will contrast these two industries by their impact on the following: state investment; geographic reach; jobs provided; state revenue; individual citizens; various institutions; etc. I am glad that this big industry is coming to Alabama. I am sorry that the even bigger industry may not be coming to Alabama.
The big industry coming to Alabama is the Toyota-Mazda Plant. It will involve a total investment of 1.6 billion dollars. That’s a whole lot of money. However, the even bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama will generate $28 billion over the next six years in economic activity. That bigger industry is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The big industry coming to Alabama will require a state investment of nearly a billion dollars. The state investment comes in the name of incentives and in the form of tax credits, tax abatements, land, training, etc. The even bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama will not require any tax credits, tax abatements, land, training, etc. It will more than fund itself with the revenue generated.
The big industry coming to Alabama will impact a number of counties in the North Alabama area. That is very good. However, the bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama will impact every county, every municipality, and every community in the state. We have not had such an industry in Alabama. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The big industry will provide an estimated 4,000 jobs. That is a lot of jobs. However, many of the jobs will turn out to be temp positions at lower wages without benefits. On the other hand, the much bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama will provide an estimated 30,000 jobs. These would be virtually no temp jobs without benefits, and the jobs would spread out to every county in the state.
The big industry coming to Alabama will take several years to develop, build and commence operations. It will not be in operation until 2021. The much bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama would commence operating immediately upon its coming to Alabama. There is no three-year wait. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The big industry that wants to come to Alabama would provide an estimated $1.7 billion in revenue over the next six years above and beyond any costs. However, the big industry coming to Alabama will have a deficit over that same time frame.
The big industry will help some small businesses. However, the biggest industry would positively impact thousands of small business in every corner of Alabama. We cannot even estimate the benefits. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I am sure that the big industry coming to Alabama will help some institutions, but I am unable to name them. However, the much bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama would help virtually every institution from schools to hospitals to colleges and universities, etc. Some institutions, such as rural hospitals, would not just be helped but would be saved from extinction.
The big industry coming to Alabama will touch many people in various ways. It may be thousands. However, the bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama would touch as many as 300,000 directly and hundreds of thousands more indirectly. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
In Alabama, it’s politically correct to provide huge monetary incentives to industry. There is never any hesitation to pay every dollar that government can possibly pay for an industry to come to Alabama. I do not begrudge these efforts. However, this much bigger industry would have a far greater impact, but it is shunned because it is not politically correct for those in power.
By now you must know that the much bigger industry that wants to come to Alabama is the Medicaid expansion. In addition to the great economic impact and institutional benefits, it would provide health insurance to hundreds of thousands. Most of these would-be recipients are working poor who do not make enough income to purchase health insurance. Having health care for these hundreds of thousands will save hundreds of lives, help tens of thousands to live longer, and help hundreds of thousands to live better.
Some leaders oppose the much bigger industry coming to Alabama because it will help the poor and downtrodden. However, none of this money will go into the pockets of the poor. It will `go to the businesses and professionals and workers who provide service. Let’s do all we can to bring to Alabama the much bigger industry that will help the whole state.
Epilogue – It is tragic that too often we Alabama leaders will pay far more for one thing and shun another thing that costs less and is of much greater value. Such is the situation when it comes to bringing other industries to Alabama while shunning the Medicaid expansion.
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