Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

12/08/2022

How Alabama Taxes Compare, 2022 Edition - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

Some things you may not know about Alabama tax collections:
1. In 2020, Alabama had the nation’s second-lowest state and local tax collections per capita.
2. Alabama has the lowest per capita property tax collections in the nation.
3. Alabama has among the highest sales tax rates in the U.S.
4. Alabama is now the only state that allows state individual and corporate income taxpayers to fully deduct federal income taxes paid. That provides a tax advantage for high earners.
5. Despite a recent change that provides some relief, Alabama begins taxing income at the lowest threshold in the U.S.
Read more in our 2022 edition of How Alabama Taxes Compare.

PARCA’s How Alabama Taxes Compare, 2022 Edition, uses data published by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State and Read the full release.  

12/01/2022

Another Banner Year in Alabama Tax Collections, but Inflation Will Take a Bite - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

According to a recent analysis by The Pew Charitable Trusts, Alabama has the 20th strongest reserves, with $1.4 billion stashed away in Rainy Day Funds. Read PARCA's latest analysis for more details about Alabama's FY22 revenues.

Alabama tax collections grew at an eye-popping rate in the 2022 fiscal year, with particularly strong growth in income tax Read the full release.  

11/29/2022

Another Banner Year in Alabama Tax Collections, but Inflation Will Take a Bite - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

Alabama tax collections grew at an eye-popping rate in the FY2022, with particularly strong growth in income tax collections (up 27% over 2021) and online sales (up more than 20%). The strong collections produced surpluses in both primary state accounts, the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and the General Fund (GF). Read more in PARCA's latest analysis.

Alabama tax collections grew at an eye-popping rate in the 2022 fiscal year, with particularly strong growth in income tax Read the full release.  

11/18/2022

We have a date!

11/07/2022

Our Constitution out of control

"Voters will soon have the chance to redress issues—not through yet another amendment but by ratifying the Alabama Constitution of 2022." PARCA Executive Director Ryan Hankins serves as a guest columnist for Comeback Town's article on the Alabama Constitution vote tomorrow.

Today’s guest columnist is Ryan Hankins. “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” This is the title of the second-longest-running Off-Broadway musical (according to Wikipedia, at least…

10/31/2022

Despite Headwinds, Alabama Gains in 4th Grade Reading and Math - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

Encouraging signs in Alabama education. Alabama public schools see gains in 4th-grade reading and math scores at a time when other states saw steep post-pandemic losses.

Alabama 4th-grade students performed better in both reading and math between 2019 and 2022, leading to improved national rankings for Read the full release.  

10/28/2022

PARCA report analyzes recompiled constitution, amendments

PARCA report analyzes recompiled constitution, amendments

The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama does not make recommendations but explains the impact and legislation behind the proposed amendments.

10/27/2022

A New Constitution plus additional Amendments on the Nov. 8 ballot - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

On November 8th, you will be asked to vote on the proposed Alabama Constitution of 2022 and 10 statewide amendments. Read PARCA's full analysis explaining the impact of these proposals and the legislation that put them on the ballot.

Beyond the political contests on the November  8th ballot, Alabama voters will decide whether to adopt the Alabama Constitution of Read the full release.  

10/20/2022

Demographic Change in Alabama, its Counties, and Cities, 2010-2020 - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

Alabama's population became more diverse over the past decade as the number of non-Hispanic Whites declined and more Alabamians identified as being of a different race, a mixture of races, or of Hispanic descent. Read our full analysis on the decade of demographic change here.

Alabama’s population became more diverse over the past decade as the number of non-Hispanic Whites declined and more Alabamians identified Read the full release.  

10/19/2022

PARCA ED Ryan Hankins will be moderating a discussion for the Birmingham Business Journal tomorrow, October 20, about the state of healthcare in the Birmingham region. More details below.

10/19/2022

PARCA Director Ryan Hankins joined Jackson County residents this morning to discuss the state of education in that area.

09/13/2022

Just 2 weeks until PARCA's Speaker Series event with James Carville at Red Mountain Theatre. VIP tickets are sold out but General Admission tickets are still available, which include a pre-show small plates reception, book signing, and post-show dessert reception. Reserve your spot today at parcalabama.org!

09/12/2022

Like most states, Pew reports that Alabama’s state revenues increase over pre-pandemic levels. Read the full Pew analysis below: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/data-visualizations/2014/fiscal-50?utm_campaign=2022-09-09+Fiscal+50&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Pew&subscriberkey=003U0000011DSScIAO#ind0

09/06/2022

PARCA's Speaker Series with James Carville is just 3 weeks away, and VIP tickets are sold out! Reserve your spot today at parcalabama.org!

09/06/2022

PARCA's Speaker Series with James Carville is just 3 weeks away, and VIP tickets are sold out! Reserve your spot today at parcalabama.org!

08/26/2022

Congratulations to PARCA Senior Research Associate Thomas Spencer for being selected to the Leadership Birmingham Class of 2023!

08/19/2022

How Alabama Compares in the Percentage of the Population Lacking Health Insurance - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

The percentage of Alabamians without health insurance rose between 2019 and 2020, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2020, 11.8% of the population under 65 was uninsured, compared to 11.6% in 2019.

Nationally, Alabama ranks 39th among the states in the percentage of its population with health insurance. Read more about Alabama's uninsured population in PARCA's latest analysis.

The percentage of Alabamians without health insurance rose between 2019 and 2020, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Read the full release.  

08/11/2022

Microsoft has produced street-by-street mapping of broadband access across the country, which shows the many gaps existing in Alabama. Visit this link to explore access throughout the state: https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiM2JmM2QxZjEtYWEzZi00MDI5LThlZDMtODMzMjhkZTY2Y2Q2IiwidCI6ImMxMzZlZWMwLWZlOTItNDVlMC1iZWFlLTQ2OTg0OTczZTIzMiIsImMiOjF9&pageName=ReportSection7b1f1f6d725ca9a5d18d

08/09/2022

The countdown has begun to PARCA's Speaker Series with James Carville. Purchase your tickets today at parcalabama.org!

08/08/2022

Alabama Population Dynamics and Workforce - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

Considering only the current population, over the next 18 years, Alabama’s population between the ages of 18 and 64 will drop by a cumulative total of more than 50,000. How does this population change affect our workforce? Read PARCA's latest analysis here.

Absent immigration from other states or from abroad, Alabama’s working-age population is on track to shrink in coming years, according Read the full release.  

07/26/2022

Literacy Act implementation test scores show improvement; nearly 12,000 students still falling behind

PARCA Senior Research Associate Thomas Spencer discusses concerns about Alabama's third grade reading test scores with WAFF News.

If an Alabama law were fully implemented, 12,000 students across the state wouldn’t be moving on to the next grade. They’d be held back.

07/25/2022

Alabama Public Opinion Survey 2022 - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

An article in al.com yesterday discussed a renewed interest in eliminating the sales tax on groceries, stating an 11% increase in grocery prices since just last year. PARCA's recent survey showed similar opinions. When asked what the state should do with the surplus budget, 40% said reduce taxes, with 42% of those saying to reduce the grocery tax. Read more of PARCA's 2022 Alabama Public Opinion Survey here.

With elections for governor and legislature pending in the fall, Alabamians are united in support for public investment in education Read the full release.

07/20/2022

Success Plus Initiative - Halfway to Success - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

Halfway to 2025, Alabama is slightly behind pace to meet its goal of adding 500,000 new skilled workers to its workforce by 2025, according to a new study commissioned by Gov. Kay Ivey’s office. The results of the Success Plus initiative are better than might be expected, considering the circumstances of the past three years. However, sustained effort will be required across multiple fronts to make competitive progress on educational attainment and labor force participation. Read PARCA's analysis of the Success Plus Initiative and recommendations for improving results.

Halfway to 2025, Alabama is slightly behind pace to meet its goal of adding 500,000 new skilled workers to its Read the full release.  

07/19/2022

PARCA: Majority of Alabamians feel education, healthcare are underfunded

Did you get a chance to read PARCA's recently released Alabama Public Opinion Survey? See Alabama Political Reporter's review of the results below.

73 percent, or nearly three-quarters of those responding, believe that too little is being spent on education, according to the poll.

07/14/2022

Alabama Public Opinion Survey 2022 - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

With elections for governor and legislature pending in the fall, Alabamians are united in support for public investment in education and healthcare, divided on how to raise money for new investments, and express a preference for local leadership and decision-making. That is according to PARCA’s annual public opinion survey released today.

With elections for governor and legislature pending in the fall, Alabamians are united in support for public investment in education Read the full release.  

07/12/2022

The Nation Faces School Attendance and Graduation Crises

A recent article in Governing details concerns about elevated rates of absenteeism following the Covid-19 pandemic. Recognizing the obvious link between school attendance and success, schools are being asked to do a better job of tracking, reporting, and addressing school absences.

Attendance Works, a national advocacy group, surveyed states about their policies for collecting information on school attendance. Most states required schools to track attendance of students engaged in long-term virtual or distance learning. Alabama did not.

That may explain why Alabama reported a decline in chronic absenteeism. According to the state school report card, 8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021 school year, compared to 11% in 2019 and 18% in 2018.

Chronic absence soared during the pandemic, and graduation rates dropped for the first time in 15 years. The first step out of this dangerous trend is knowing more about who’s missing.

07/05/2022

PARCA just published its 2021 Annual Report. Find out more about our mission, structure, finances, and leadership, and explore some of last year's research here:https://parcalabama.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2021-PARCA-Annual-Report.pdf

06/30/2022

It's , and we are throwing back to our last annual forum in March. The forum - Realizing Our Potential: A Plan for Reading and Math in Alabama - focused on efforts to improve math and reading education instruction for students in Alabama and Mississippi. The program featured the Superintendents of Education for Alabama and Mississippi, with Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey delivering the keynote address. The entire event was recorded and can be viewed here: https://parcalabama.org/parca-annual-forum-resources/.

06/30/2022

Based on the 2021 American Community Survey, Alabama’s statewide GINI Index, a measure of income inequality, is 0.48. A measure of 0.0 would mean income is evenly distributed among every person. A measure of 1.0 would mean one person has all the income and everyone else has noting. Were Alabama a country, it would find itself ranked between Chile and Costa Rica.

06/27/2022

Louisville’s Greg Fischer: A Mayor Takes Stock of His City

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is finishing his third term as mayor of Louisville. In 2000, Louisville and Birmingham were about the same size in terms of population. But the City of Louisville and its surrounding county, Jefferson County, KY, merged to become the Louisville Metro government. In 2020, Louisville's population was 633,000. Close to the same size as Jefferson County, Ala. Meanwhile, the City of Birmingham is now under 200,000, according to estimates. The merger wasn't magic for Louisville. It didn't solve all its problems. But it's worth hearing Fischer on what the merger has meant for Louisville.

A proponent of data and performance analytics, the three-term mayor is equally invested in compassionate government.

06/13/2022

The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported (as of April 2022) indicate that Alabama has the lowest unemployment rate in the Southeast, at 2.8%. Explore the data here:
https://public.tableau.com/views/AlabamaUnemployment-April2022/Dashboard1?:language=en-US&publish=yes&:display_count=n&:origin=viz_share_link

06/08/2022

The 2021 Annual Report of the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office cites a 44.7% increase in opioid deaths, from 237 deaths in 2020 to 343 deaths in 2021. The latest data support the trend occurring statewide and nationally as well.https://www.jccal.org/Sites/Jefferson_County/Documents/Coroner_Medical%20Examiner%20Office/2021%20annual%20report.pdf

06/07/2022

2021 Population Change in Alabama Cities - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

PARCA just released its analysis of the 2021 population change in Alabama. With international migration being effectively shut off, elevated mortality rates due to the pandemic, and cities across the nation experiencing an outflow of residents as businesses stayed shuttered and workers were asked to work from home, which areas in our state still managed to grow? Find out in our latest post.

Each year, PARCA analyzes population estimates issued by the U.S. Census Bureau. Visualizations of the population estimates and change for Read the full release.  

06/02/2022

Please mark your calendars for this year's PARCA Speaker Series
featuring James Carville! The evening will include a pre-show reception, as well as a post-show dessert bar, book signing, and an opportunity to meet Mr. Carville. Event details and ticket information coming soon!

05/23/2022

When voters go to the polls tomorrow, they will be asked to vote on a single amendment to the Alabama Constitution of 1901, a proposal to borrow $85 million to pay for repairs and upgrades at Alabama’s 21 state parks. Read PARCA's detailed analysis here:
https://parcalabama.org/state-parks-constitutional-amendment-on-may-primary-ballot/

05/04/2022

Graduation and College and Career Readiness Rates Steady, Gap Persists - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

In 2021, 92% of seniors graduated on-time four years after starting in 9th grade, maintaining the high rates Alabama public schools have posted in recent years. However, only 76% of seniors were certified as college and career-ready (CCR), a gap that state leaders are calling on schools to close. https://parcalabama.org/graduation-and-college-and-career-readiness-rates-steady-gap-persists/

With graduation season now upon us, new data allows us to look back at statistics for last May’s public high Read the full release.  

04/29/2022

PARCA Report Highlights Challenges of Municipal Financial Comparison, Examines City Tax Collections - Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama

PARCA released its 2022 Edition of How Alabama Taxes Compare today. The report discusses the challenges of municipal financial comparison and examines cities' tax collections.

Our 2022 edition of How Alabama Cities Compare (the tenth edition of PARCA’s study of Alabama city finances) introduces a Read the full release.  

04/26/2022

2021 Alabama Kids Count - VOICES for Alabama's Children

For the 6th year in a row, PARCA provided the data and analysis for VOICES for Alabama's Children's 2021 Alabama Kids Count Data Book. The report documents and tracks the health, education, safety, and economic security of children at the state and county levels. This annual statistical portrait is meant to provide a roadmap for policymakers who seek to improve the lives of Alabama’s children. Access your copy here.

The 2021 Alabama Kids Count Data Book is finally here! Thank you for your patience, as COVID-19 continues to cause unexpected delays in data reporting and publication.

04/13/2022

Podcast: Ryan Hankins on PARCA’s mission and its recent report on Medicaid expansion

PARCA's Executive Director Ryan Hankins talks to Business Alabama Magazine about our mission and recent work.

Ryan Hankins, executive director of PARCA, talks about the organization's work and its report on expanding Medicaid in Alabama.

04/13/2022

We are proud to work alongside Dr. Joe Adams, PARCA's Research Coordinator who was recently recognized for his 15 years of service to PARCA.