MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Nearly a month after taking office following her predecessor’s resignation amid a scandal, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey says she’s settling into the job and aiming to improve her state’s image.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Ivey said she believes Alabama’s most pressing three problems are overcrowded prisons, aging roads and bridges and a “spending problem.” Ivey said she supports some type of prison construction and a gas tax to fund road improvements, but doesn’t think there’s a need for other tax increases at this time.
She’s the second woman to serve as Alabama governor. After serving six years as lieutenant governor, she took the state’s top office when Gov. Robert Bentley resigned April 10 amid an impeachment push in the fallout of an alleged affair with a top aide.
Ivey, 72, said she hopes people know her from her time as state treasurer and lieutenant governor, adding that she, “won’t lie, steal or cheat and I won’t tolerate anyone who does.”
Here are highlight’s of AP’s discussion with Ivey:
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ON BENTLEY’S RESIGNATION
She said Bentley called her to his office on April 10 a few hours before he announced his resignation.
“Everybody assumed it was going to be coming soon. I walked in and I sat where you are sitting and he told me he was going to retire today and it was going to be about 5 o’clock. I told him he had done the right thing. He was comfortable in his own decision. … I think everybody was relieved the situation somewhat had some finality to it. We can move on and turn a page.”
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WHAT VOTERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HER
“I have hope they have watched my services in the two terms I served as state treasurer and the six years as lieutenant governor. I won’t lie, steal or cheat and I won’t tolerate anyone who does. I try to work hard and be thorough and straightforward.”
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HER PRIORITIES
“The priorities for this administration immediately have been to stabilize the ship of state and to be sure everything is running like it ought to run, and that’s no small task. And secondly, is to work to improve the image of Alabama. So when I leave here I hope that people can say I’ve made some contributions that made the state better than when I got here.”
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WHAT SHE SEES AS THE TOP THREE PRESSING PROBLEMS FACING ALABAMA
Ivey said the state has a “spending problem” and she supports a gas tax to support transportation infrastructure and prison construction to relieve overcrowding.
“The budgets are always a tough issue. Certainly, we’ve got the prison situation that has got to be addressed, sooner than later. I’m hopeful they are going to get a bill done this session. We do need to get some prisons built sooner rather than later.”
However, Ivey said it became clear that Bentley’s $800 million prison plan wouldn’t pass. She said there are discussions about what else might be done.
Ivey said she also supports an effort to raise Alabama’s gas tax to fund road and bridge improvements. That proposal has so far stalled in the Legislature.
“We’ve got to pay for roads and bridges that are in disrepair. School buses now have to travel around certain bridges. … We want safety for our school buses. We want safety for our families. We want safety for our commerce. It’s just part of doing business and we haven’t had a gas tax increase in the last 25 years. It makes sense to tend to business.”
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TAXES AND REVENUE
The state’s previous two governors- Bentley and Gov. Bob Riley - proposed large tax increases, mostly without success. Ivey supports a gas tax to fund road construction, but isn’t convinced yet there’s a need for other revenue measures.
“I think we’ve got a spending problem more than having a budget problem. We’ve got to learn how to spend less.”
Ivey said she canceled plans to install a swimming pool at the gubernatorial residence at Fort Morgan that’s being made useable through a refurbishment funded with BP oil spill funds.
“We don’t need to spend money on a swimming pool. I just don’t think it is a necessary expense. There again I’m trying to get a handle on spending. You got a whole Gulf of Mexico out there to swim in.”
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ON RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR IN 2018
“You bring up an interesting possibility. Certainly, being in office sooner than expected gives some wind to those thoughts, but right now I’ve got to spend my time and focus and energy on doing the job at hand.”
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