Land and Tax Reform

Keeping Our Wealth Local, Investing in Our Communities

Out-of-state investors own vast amounts of land in Walker, Lamar, and Fayette Counties, extracting wealth while giving little back to our district. A tax on the top timberland owners, most of which are absentee owners, will raise $2.5 million to reinvest directly back into our communities.*

We’ll keep more of our wealth in our District and put power back where it belongs—with the people.

THE NUMBERS

Walker County absentee owners = 39.4% of timberland

Lamar County absentee owners = 58.3% of timberland

Fayette County absentee owners = 68% of timberland

A handful of Yankee timber investors extract millions of dollars in wealth from our communities every year, but by placing a tariff on the top 35 land owners (2,000 acres or more) in Lamar, Fayette, and Walker Counties, we will raise at least$2,503,168 from mostly out-of-state investors and private equity firms.

"Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and fresh oil that you have been extracting from them.” - Nehemiah5:11

*This does not include potential revenue from the parts of Tuscaloosa and Jefferson County that are included in District 5.

Community Enterprise Zones

Investing in Local Businesses, Creating Good Jobs, Strengthening Our Communities

Big corporations and outside investors extract wealth from our communities while small businesses struggle to get the capital they need. Community Enterprise Zones (CEZs) are a proven, community-driven solution to build local businesses, create jobs, and keep wealth in working-class neighborhoods.

Community Development Financial Institution: Creation of of a publicly controlled, community-based micro-lending fund designed to help small businesses, worker cooperatives, and union shops thrive.
Micro-loans for Local Entrepreneurs: Small-scale, community-driven investments that empower local businesses, not outside corporations.
Job Credits That Reward Local Hiring: Businesses that hire from within the zone receive tiered wage credits to support good-paying jobs:
35% wage credit for cooperative businesses (up to $45,000 per worker).
35% wage credit for unionized businesses with collective bargaining (up to $35,000 per worker).
35% wage credit for traditional businesses (up to $25,000 per worker).
Focused on the Communities That Need It Most: Serving low income areas with poverty rates above 25%.

"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." — Luke 6:38

By investing $1,000,000 annually for 10 years from the $2.5 Million generated through Land and Tax Reform we will be able to empower local economies, create stable jobs, and ensure our communities thrive—not just survive.

Right to repair

Fair Access, Fair Repairs, Fair Work

Modern equipment is electronically managed using proprietary software. Farmers, foresters, tech repair shops, and other workers don’t have access to this software and must stop work and take equipment to certified repair shops. This is costly for small businesses. Right to Repair requires that owners of proprietary software make access to that software available at a reasonable price.

The Right to Repair is about putting control back into the hands of working people by ensuring that manufacturers:

Provide access to diagnostic tools, repair manuals, and software at a reasonable cost
Allow independent repair shops and individuals to service their own equipment
End monopolistic restrictions by big business that drive up repair costs and limit competition

Without these reforms, small farmers lose crop yields, logging crews face delays, and local automotive and computer repair shops struggle to stay afloat—all while corporate manufacturers rake in profits.

"Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right." - Isaiah 10:1-2