Gov. Kay Ivey took time at the beginning of her State of the State address Tuesday to honor the 23 victims who were killed by a pair of tornadoes that hit southern Lee County on Sunday.
“Just over 48 hours ago, Mother Nature’s wrath — in the form of vicious and deadly tornadoes — ripped through our state, leaving behind significant devastation,” Ivey said.
As of Wednesday, one person was in the intensive care unit at East Alabama Medical Center, two were in the ICU at UAB Medical Center in Birmingham and another was in the ICU at Piedmont Columbus Regional Medical Center in Georgia. Jones said Alabama State Trooper Sgt. Robert Burroughs was among those recovering at EAMC after being injured in the storm at his home.
Four of the victims were children. The victims ranged in age from 6 to 89.
The governor held a moment of silent prayer for the victims before she pitched her priorities for the 2019 legislative session to lawmakers gathered at the State Capitol Tuesday for her annual speech.
“This is a time for all of Alabama – and our entire nation – to rally behind these good people,” Ivey said. “Together, we will bring Lee County back to its feet.”
Ivey extended a state of emergency including Lee County after the tornadoes struck, and she requested a federal major disaster declaration. President Donald Trump, who is set to visit Alabama Friday to survey the damage, approved that request Tuesday.
The declaration triggers FEMA aid and the release of federal funds to aid in recovery efforts.
After mourning the victims, Ivey launched into pitching an ambitious plan that called for a 10-cent increase to the state’s motor fuels tax, teacher and state employee pay raises, the construction of new prisons and a funding increase for higher education.
Ivey’s budget proposal would appropriate an additional $75 million for colleges and universities in the state. It would be the second year Ivey has proposed funding increases for higher education since becoming governor.
Universities received $1.12 billion in funding last year, a $42 million increase over the previous year.
“Alabama’s institutions of higher education are making major research contributions,” Ivey said. “They generate significant revenue for our state. They serve as a major part of our identity in Alabama. Most importantly, they are preparing hundreds of thousands of students to enter the workforce.”
While Auburn has received more money from the state in recent years, that funding has yet to reach its pre-Great Recession peaks.
In its current budget, Auburn received about 20 percent — or $263 million — of its revenue from state funding. Tuition and fees make up about 45 percent of revenue.
In fiscal year 2008, $337 million in revenue came from state appropriations. That year, state funding made up more of the budget than tuition, which measured in at $251 million.
It isn’t clear how much additional funding Auburn is in for under Ivey’s proposal. Her office has not released her full Education Trust Fund budget proposal yet.
Ivey also called on legislators to allocate money for a new co-op program for Alabama’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The program is geared toward HBCU students interested in pursuing careers in STEM fields, the governor said.
“It is not only a win for these students; it’s a win for these colleges and universities,” Ivey said. “And it’s a win for our employers who are gaining qualified individuals to strengthen the work of their company.”
After her State of the State address, Ivey quickly called a special session of the Alabama Legislature. The move came on the first day of the Legislature’s 2019 regular session, which is now delayed until March 19.
Calling the special session allows the governor to force lawmakers to focus on her priority legislation. This year, that’s the 10-cent gas tax hike.
Until the special session ends in two weeks, the Education Trust Fund budget will be on hold.
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Chip Brownlee, senior in journalism and political science, is the editor-in-chief of The Auburn Plainsman.
