Holtzclaw to Bentley: Not a single constituent has told me they support your tax hike

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Senator Bill Holtzclaw (R-Madison) addressed his colleagues on the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon, speaking out against Governor Bentley’s proposed $541 million tax hike and noting that not a single one of his constituents has come to him expressing support for the governor’s plan.

“In Huntsville [Gov. Bentley] urged a group of about 100 local elected and community leaders to encourage lawmakers to support the tax plan even if they may have campaigned on a pledge of not raising taxes,” Sen. Holtzclaw said to his fellow members of the Senate. “Well, I thought I’d give an update. As of today, five days after the Governor’s visit to Huntsville– I’ve not received a single phone call, text message or email asking me to support his tax increase proposals… not a single one.

“But make no mistake, I have heard from people in the community, oh they are contacting me – the working people in the community, those I visited with during the re-election campaign just a few short months ago. I wish that I could share a few of their emails but time does not allow. Comments range from – ‘don’t back down,’ to ‘my family and I support your no new tax position,’ to ‘we pay enough taxes already,’…Bottom line, not a single person has asked that I reverse my position and support the proposed tax increases.”

Sen. Holtzclaw and Gov. Bentley, both of whom ran on a pledge to not raise taxes, found themselves at odds over the tax increase proposal recently, and the tension escalated after Holtzclaw took out a billboard advertisement pledging to block it. Gov. Bentley retaliated by having roughly $100 million road projects halted in Holtzclaw’s north Alabama senate district.

A Huntsville city councilman asked the governor during a public appearance last week what community leaders should tell their constituents about the shuttered transportation projects. Bentley responded by saying that taxpayers should “encourage their legislators to do what I want to get done and we’ll do it.”

Holtzclaw addressed the governor directly during his remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday.

“Governor,” Holtzclaw said, “I’m listening to the people I represent, retirees, blue collar and white collar workers, local business owners that employ theses hard working Alabamians. Again – not a single person has contacted me asking that I support your tax plan.

“I am concerned with our budgets but my greatest concern is with continuing to grow our state’s economy through economic development opportunities,” he continued. “I know the Governors of surrounding states are watching as are the businesses that are considering relocation or expansion in the south east. We need to do everything we can to attract businesses – not give them a reason to look elsewhere. Raising taxes and stalling road projects are what they are hearing.”

The legislature is planning to take up the budgets this week, as well as give consideration to the estimated $541 million in new and increased taxes proposed by the governor.