By Rep. Matt Simpson
Chairman of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation
As we gather around our tables with family and friends during this Thanksgiving and upcoming Christmas season, a spirit of gratitude fills the air. It's a time to reflect on the blessings we've received, express gratitude for the journey we've undertaken, and appreciate the accomplishments we've made over the past year.
In that spirit of thankfulness, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and share the wonderful accomplishments that have been made for Baldwin County and our state this year. So, I am thankful for:
- The hard work of my fellow Baldwin County Legislative Delegation members with the pieces of legislation they passed earlier this year, making our state and county a better place to be.
- Our three new freshman House members in the Baldwin Delegation who helped pass 11 different pieces of legislation, a notable feat for brand new legislators. Whether it was Rep. Holk-Jones’ bill to allow social workers to help diagnose their patients while out in the field, Rep. Givens’ “Baby in a Box” bill that allows for unfit parents to have safe sites across 11 locations in our state to give up the baby they don’t want, or Rep. Fidler’s legislation that helps make it easier for farmers to bring their goods to the people – they were doing hard work worth doing that helps people across our state. It has been a joy to see them excel and thrive in their new roles.
- Being part of Team Baldwin County and witnessing the results that can happen when our municipalities, county commission, legislative delegation, and other key Baldwin County officials and stakeholders work together – like the recent announcement of the Novelis plant and the hundreds of millions of dollars of investment and new jobs that will be coming to Baldwin County with it.
- The great regional relationships we have cultivated across the two Coastal Alabama counties and how we can work together to do great things for our region as a whole, such as getting increased funding for the Port of Alabama, securing tourism incentives to help our area be included in the Governor’s Game Plan, and working to move the airport from West Mobile to Brookley, making it closer to us in Baldwin County.
- The guidance and leadership brought by the new officers in the Alabama State House. Under the stewardship of our new Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, our new Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen, and my Mobile friend and colleague Chris Pringle as the Speaker Pro Tem, we have a solid group of people who I know can be counted on to help lead and guide our state through whatever trials and tribulations we could face.
- The continued bravery and dedicated service that we receive each day from our law enforcement officers and other first responders. These heroic men and women put their lives on the line every day for every single one of us, and we should always be grateful for their willingness to serve.
- The overwhelming majorities from both parties, Democrat and Republican, that helped pass some of the most meaningful tax cut legislation in Alabama in decades, including the repeal of the overtime tax, a large reduction in the grocery tax, and tax rebates for almost every Alabama taxpayer that should be coming to your mailbox soon ($150 for single; $300 for married filers).
- The changes that we made to streamline and improve the adoption process this year, making it easier for people who want to adopt to be able to adopt and start families of their own.
- The swift actions taken by our legislature and governor to combat the deadly drug fentanyl in our communities, including adding mandatory jail time for fentanyl traffickers and additional crimes for any harm that may come to our law enforcement officers and other first responders who might come into contact with the drug during their work duties.
- The ongoing commitment of our Baldwin County School System to economic and workforce education and development that will culminate in the opening of the Baldwin Preparatory Academy, a state-of-the-art vocational training facility that will be a game changer in education for Baldwin County that the state will certainly want to model.
- As always, the love and support from my amazing family, without whom I could not do any of what I do.
- And, last but certainly not least, the people of Baldwin County and my home District 96 for trusting me to be your voice and allowing me to fight the good fight on your behalf up in Montgomery.
During this season of thankfulness and celebration, let's remember the spirit of gratitude that binds us as a community and be sure that we continue to give of ourselves to help those who need it however we can.
I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I wish for your Christmases to be merry and bright.
If you have any questions, concerns, comments, or want to raise an issue — or if you just need to talk about something — that’s what we’re here for. Please reach out and give me a call or shoot me an email.
Matt Simpson is the Chairman of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation and represents District 96 in the Alabama House of Representatives. You can reach him at mattsimpsonal96@gmail.com.
