By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Monday, State Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, announced that he introduced Senate Bill 277, to give tax credits to Alabama companies that contract to build President Donald Trump’s border wall.
Whatley said that his bill supports President Trump’s effort to secure our borders while growing Alabama’s economy. Whatley’s proposal will provide an income tax credit for Alabama businesses involved in construction for national border security.
Whatley said the legislation will give Alabama firms an advantage in bidding on the construction of a border wall.
“There is no more pressing issue than border security,” Whatley said. “Alabamians are supportive of President Trump’s border wall. We want to give Alabama firms every opportunity to compete and build it with Alabama workers.”
Beyond giving Alabama firms an advantage, the bill could provide additional benefits, as well. Were an Alabama firm to be awarded the bid, the economic benefit for Alabama could be substantial, according to Whatley.
If the bill becomes law, the tax credit will begin to benefit qualified businesses starting Jan. 1, 2019. The credit is equal to ten percent of the construction costs of the project.
Trump was elected promising voters that he would build a wall along America’s southern border with Mexico to make it more difficult for immigrants to illegally cross the border and narcotics to enter the country.
A recent Rasmussen poll reports that 52 percent of Americans polled support Trump’s proposal to create a pathway to citizenship for those brought to the United States illegally when they were children, build a wall on the Mexican border and change legal immigration to a more merit-based system. Only 32 percent oppose the proposal while 16 percent report that they are undecided.
Democrats in Congress has steadfastly opposed building the border wall and ending chain migration and the controversial visa lottery. Democrats are threatening to shut down the government again at the end of this week unless Republicans give in to their demands and give a pathway to citizenship for the dreamers.
Whatley qualified in January for a third term in the Alabama Senate. Whatley grew up on a dairy farm in Lee County and graduated from Auburn University. He is an attorney, a National Guard Colonel and a former chief of staff for former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Sue Bell Cobb.
