Tuberville outlines governing approach to local leaders: ‘The power is coming back to the states’

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July 28, 2025

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville addressed more than 130 local leaders on Monday at the second annual “Earn Local, Keep Local” summit in Tuscaloosa, where he laid out an early roadmap for the Alabama governorship when elected.

‘When’ elected was so much admitted by Mayor of Tuscaloosa Walt Maddox, who made a gubernatorial bid of his own as a Democrat in 2018. Maddox hosted the event and introduced Tuberville earlier today.

“Like many in this room, I believe that Senator Tuberville is going to be the next Governor of the State of Alabama,” Maddox said, “you can give that a round of applause.”

“If Senator Tuberville is successful as our governor, then Alabama cities, Alabama’s counties, Alabama’s school system, and all we work for, will be successful. And by the way, I think Senator Tuberville is off to a good start. The fact that Senator Tuberville took the time out of his schedule to come here, to listen and to learn and to engage with us. That says a lot about a person who wants to lead our entire state,” the mayor added.

Tuberville (R-Auburn) was met with a warm welcome from the group of local and regional officials. He remarked he had to be back in Washington to return to the “clown show” later in the day.

Tuberville articulated his vision for collaborating with cities and counties, criticized federal dysfunction, and pledged to bring a Coach-style, team-based approach to Montgomery.

“The power is going to come back to the states,” Tuberville said. “We have to take advantage of it.”

“Other states are going to do that. The ones that surround us in Florida and Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, I promise you: they’re going to take advantage of – and so that’s what we’re going to do.”

Tuberville said that his vision for Alabama’s future hinges on growth, energy expansion, workforce development, and long-term infrastructure planning. He cited the importance of high school and community college partnerships and modernizing the state’s energy sector in coordination with Alabama Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Tuberville also said economic and workforce development will be paramount to his administration.

“There’s not a day goes by that Katie Britt and I don’t have a manufacturing company coming to us – whether it’s from the United States or whether it’s from overseas – ‘Coach, we want to move our manufacturing plant to the State of Alabama. How can you help us?’”

“We need a 10-, 20-, 30-year plan,” he said. “This is the 21st century – not the 20th. If we don’t plan for the future, we’re going to get left behind.”

“We’ll have a 10-point plan… working through state government, through mayors,” Tuberville said. “Anything that has to do with authority in the state. You can’t do it by yourself… You gotta work from there.”

A major theme of the event involved a recent push by local municipalities to reform the state’s Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT), which, cities like Tuscaloosa argue will drain revenue from local schools and essential public services.

On Monday, Alabama’s Big 10 Mayors association amplified their call to reform the distribution of funds collected by the state’s online sales tax system. They argue that the current structure unfairly benefits large, out-of-state retailers by allowing them to pay a lower, flat tax rate.

“Today’s meetings with municipalities across the state further reinforced the fact that there is a growing consensus to address our state’s unfair online sales tax structure,” the mayors of Alabama’s ten largest cities said in a statement on Monday.

“Its current structure is a problem for Alabama – it’s bad for municipalities, bad for schools, and bad for small businesses. This issue must be addressed, whether through the courts or through the legislature. Every day the system continues to exist in its current form is another day where our schools, first responders and communities are losing the resources that they depend on and are rightly theirs.”

In his keynote remarks, Tuberville did not directly mention the online sales tax issue, but he did speak strongly about his approach to dealing with issues like it as governor.

“If you gonna’ solve your problems, you gonna’ do it within the state – and it starts with the communication. But you gotta’ have good people involved. And so that’s what I’m looking forward to, is putting good people in positions that understand what they’re doing and work with the people all across the state to make things better.”

Tuberville called on the crowd composed of mayors, commissioners, and local leaders, to unite as one Alabama team.

“This ain’t Democrat or Republican. This is Alabama,” he said. “And if we don’t work together, those SEC states around us – Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee – they’ll leave us behind.”

Grayson Everett is the editor and chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270