Accountability and transparency were heavily stressed during debate of the Rebuild Alabama infrastructure plan this spring. However, a new development might go a long way to showing that these were not just talking points but promises fully intended to be kept.
The Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA) on Monday announced that the state’s 67 county commissions are making their 2020 road and bridge construction plans available for public inspection.
Adopted by each county governing body, the plans are available online on the ACCA website. These plans were adopted as required in the Rebuild Alabama Act passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey in March.
The Rebuild Alabama Act raised the statewide fuel tax by six cents on September 1. In a statement, ACCA executive director Sonny Brasfield emphasized the necessity of transparency in where this new revenue will go.
“We have consistently said that it’s essential the public have immediate access to how the new revenue will be used,” Brasfield said.
“County governments have worked collectively so they can be responsible and accountable with each dollar,” he advised.
The Rebuild Alabama Act, which will raise the fuel tax an additional two cents in both 2020 and 2021, established strict requirements for transparency with and accountability of taxpayer dollars.
One such requirement was for each local governing body in Alabama to adopt by August 31 an annual transportation plan detailing the list of projects to be prioritized in the coming year based on anticipated revenue and to make that plan visible to the public.
Brasfield added that the ACCA will release a statewide overview of the projects in the coming days, and when project specifications and bid announcements are available, that information will also be available on the association’s website.
“The Association is committed to providing the public with timely and accurate information now and moving forward,” he concluded.
Even with the six-cent fuel tax increase already implemented, Alabama’s average fuel price is the third lowest in the nation as of Monday at noon.
Only Mississippi and Louisiana have lower average fuel prices than the Yellowhammer State. Compared to neighboring states, Alabama’s average price is over 20 cents cheaper than Georgia, 15 cents cheaper than Florida and 5 cents cheaper than Tennessee.
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Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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