One year ago, a relatively-unknown company announced that, for a monthly fee of $9.95, subscribers could see one movie a day without paying anything at the box office. That’s right – even though the average movie ticket in the U.S. is $9 – a $9.95 monthly subscription could get you into 31 movies. Since last […]

Many coastal and red snapper loving Alabamians may find themselves disappointed by recent events. On July 16th, the State of Alabama announced that recreational red snapper fishing season would be cut six weeks short. A result of unexpectedly high catch levels this summer, the state reached its annual quota sooner than anticipated. For families and […]

“I don’t see any reason why it would be”. Those words, voiced by President Trump when asked whether he believed it was true that Russia interfered with the 2016 election, set off a media firestorm early this week. Trump, of course, is used to media criticism, but this time was different. Joining the normal critics […]

During my years working in public policy, there have been a handful of issues that have gotten me fired up. Typically when I tell people about them, they have some level of understanding—a state lottery, education and school choice, taxes and budgets, things like that. These days, when I’m asked about the issue I most […]

When most of us think about the Fourth of July, we think about pool parties, cooking out, fireworks, and spending time with friends and family. Others think about our love for America. Some of us even wait all year for an occasion to wear a t-shirt that has the Declaration of Independence printed on it. […]

Candidates for public office, once elected, bring their underlying principles and perspectives on policy issues into office with them, thus defining how they govern. It is important for citizens to know and understand the candidates for which they are voting, and Yellowhammer News and the Alabama Policy Institute (API) are partnering to bring that information […]

The Alabama Policy Institute (API) and the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy are pleased to announce the release of a new policy report entitled “The Costs of Occupational Licensing in Alabama.” On Tuesday, API and the Johnson Center debuted the report’s findings to an audience of lawmakers, academics, and economists.

  In case you missed what went on in the Alabama Legislature last week, here is a review of week eight! First of all, our prayers and heartfelt condolences go out to Representative Allen Treadaway and his family after the loss of his daughter Kelsey Treadaway last week. If you want to receive daily news hits from […]

According to a recent survey, a majority of military family members do not feel that they belong in their local civilian communities. This means that less than half of military families that live in our neighborhoods, shop at our malls, and attend our places of worship feel at home with us. Why is this the […]

    Did this week fly by to anyone else? Enjoy the weekend and check out what happened this week in Montgomery in Taylor’s Top 4! If you want to receive daily news hits from across the state and nation straight to your inbox each morning, click here to subscribe to API’s Daily Clips. 1. General […]

    Our politics are increasingly polarized. Yelling matches on cable news are the norm, and those with opposing viewpoints are labeled as bigoted or anti-American. The division has gotten to the point that, according to the Pew Research Center, most Republicans and Democrats have few or no friends in the opposing party. The question, […]

Thank goodness it’s the weekend, am I right? Check out what happened in the state legislature and Taylor’s Top 5 for this week! 1. Folks, we are very close to statewide ride sharing! This week, the Senate unanimously passed a bill that sets up the framework for ride-sharing companies to operate across the state. Now that […]

Last month, the state rejoiced with news that Alabama would be the home of a new Toyota-Mazda plant. The plant is expected to bring over 4,000 jobs and billions of dollars in net revenue to the state. With the execution of this deal, known as Project New World, state and local governments will give the […]

  It was a slower week in the legislature, but check out what happened in Montgomery last week during week five of the 2018 legislative session! By the way, if you want to receive daily news hits from across the state and nation straight to your inbox each morning, click here to subscribe to API’s Daily […]

    A fourteen-year-old shoplifts cologne from a local Macy’s with hopes to impress his crush. Lacking the skills of an experienced criminal, he gets caught easily. Although perhaps warranting a fine and community service, he is instead processed as a criminal defendant and placed in a juvenile detention center. Here, he crosses paths daily […]

And, we’re back! Happy weekend to you. Taylor’s Top Five is back to fill you in on what you might have missed this week in Montgomery. Hope you enjoy, and let us know if you have any questions on the items discussed below. Have a great weekend! 1. The Senate approved harsher punishment for possessing fentanyl. For those who […]

(Opinion) “Crumbs”. That’s how House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi characterized the thousand-dollar bonuses and wage increases that companies are offering employees in the wake of federal tax reform. This description has, appropriately, come under attack. Walmart, Alabama’s largest employer, is spending around $400 million on employee bonuses. In fact, according to Americans for Tax Reform, […]

  We’re back with another recap! In this week’s Taylor’s Top Six, we’ve got a few updates on things we discussed last week, as well as some new bills that were introduced this week. Let us know what you think of what’s going on in Montgomery! 1. My two favorite words in the English language: […]

You spoke, Alabama. We asked, what issues are important to you and what questions would you ask of your candidates to answer?  In honor of National School Choice Week, let’s explore questions on promoting education and supporting Alabama’s school children. And it probably won’t come as much of a surprise—Alabamians are very vocal on these […]

    Along Highway 31 in Conecuh County, Alabama, lies a small town called Castleberry. Although the city boasts a population of less than 600 and a single caution light, it has its own police department. To fund itself, the Castleberry Police Department takes advantage of speeding passers-by and writes them tickets. Nothing to see […]

  Hang on to your wallets. Lawmakers have returned to Montgomery. The Alabama Policy Institute presents Taylor’s Top Four, here to fill you in on the things you ought to know from the legislative session. Since we’ve had a couple of slow weeks in Montgomery for lawmakers, we’ll keep this one short and sweet. 1. So many agenda items, […]

  Most of the talk I’ve heard this legislative session has been preceded with “well, you know it’s an election year. . .” as if to indicate that we shouldn’t expect too much from our lawmakers in 2018. Rather, our expectations for our elected officials in 2018 should be as high as ever, if not […]

  Ah, January, the make-or-break month for New Year’s resolutions. Don’t you think that our elected officials—members of the legislature, state school board, executive branch, and others—should adopt some resolutions? I’ve got a few ideas for them.       1. Commit to protecting taxpayers. Want to raise taxes? Meet them with an offset elsewhere. Want […]

Did you know that ninety-three percent of Alabama’s budget is earmarked? A recent report from the Alabama Policy Institute explores this little-known fact about Alabama’s budget.  Originally, an “earmark” was a sign of ownership–a mark in the ear of a sheep or other animal.  Today, earmarks are the sign of bad fiscal policy. Earmarking is the […]