The Alabama Forestry Association announced yesterday their endorsement of Governor Bentley’s re-election campaign, making AFA the first major statewide organization to endorse the Governor’s 2014 bid.

“AFA’s leadership believes that Gov. Bentley has done a good job and warrants our support for a second term,” AFA’s Executive Vice President Chris Isaacson told Yellowhammer. “We have had almost 3 years now to evaluate his leadership and observe his accomplishments. Although we could have waited until next year, the outcome would have been the same so we decided to go ahead make our position known now.”

Isaacson said that the AFA was also the first major organization to endorse Governor Bentley after he won the Republican Primary in 2010 and went on to win his first term.

When asked about Governor Bentley’s most impressive first-term accomplishments, Isaacson cited the governor’s leadership in a tough economy and the payback of the Alabama Trust Fund.

“First, Governor Bentley working with the Legislature has done an admirable job navigating the state through some very tough economic times by making the government fit the money, rather than trying to raise taxes to maintain the status quo in government,” Isaacson said. “While we disagreed with the strategy of taking money from the Alabama Trust Fund to help bridge the gap in the General Fund budget, the Governor and the legislative leadership promised they would pay the money back and in the last session enacted a plan to do just that.

Isaacson also applauded Bentley’s efforts to improve the state’s rural infrastructure.

“When we went to the Governor to discuss the growing problem of the crumbling road and bridge infrastructure in rural Alabama, he worked with us to develop a plan to address those needs and the ATRIP program and, more recently, the RAMP program were enacted,” Isaacson said.

When we asked about the Governor’s second term priorities, Isaacson said he believes there is a lot of work left to do.

“Funding for Medicaid and Corrections currently consumes 58% of the General Fund budget. If historic growth rates prevail, in 5 years Medicaid and Corrections will consume 97% of the General Fund budget,” Isaacson noted. “Both the Governor and the Legislature recognize this looming fiscal train wreck and have begun to make changes needed to rein in these costs, but much more will be required. On a related issue, this is why the Governor’s decision not to expand Medicaid coverage is so critical.”

Isaacson also said state employee benefits are “unsustainable” and said he hopes the state will abandon its current “defined benefit” model. “Alabama has done little to rein in the escalating costs of these benefits,” Isaacson said.

Governor Bentley thanked the AFA for its endorsement and for expressing confidence in his leadership.

“I appreciate the Alabama Forestry Association and the work they do in supporting, promoting and protecting our state’s forests and forestry communities,” he said. “I’m especially honored to receive the endorsement of the Alabama Forestry Association and its members. Thanks in part to the support of AFA in 2010 I was elected to serve as Governor of this state. Much has been accomplished in my first term, and with the support of the Alabama Forestry Association, I look forward to serving the people of this state a second term.”

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