The Alabama Policy Institute (API) is a nonprofit,

conservative think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmental or ...

located in

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

. According to the organization's mission statement, it is "dedicated to influencing public policy in the interest of the preservation of free markets, limited government and strong families." API is headquartered in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...

History

The Alabama Policy Institute was founded in 1989 as the Alabama Family Alliance. Alabama Supreme Court justice Tom Parker was the founding executive director. Gary Palmer, a co-founder of the Alabama Family Alliance, eventually became its president. In 2000, the Alabama Family Alliance was renamed the Alabama Policy Institute. After 25 years at the helm, Palmer stepped down from his role as the institute's president in order to successfully run

Alabama's 6th congressional district Alabama's 6th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It is composed of the wealthier portions of Birmingham, nearly all of Jeffer ...

in 2014. He was replaced by Caleb Crosby, who had served as API's vice president and CFO prior to becoming the group's president in September 2014. In September 2019 it was announced that Alabama Governor

Kay Ivey Kay Ellen Ivey (born October 15, 1944) is an American politician serving as the 54th and incumbent governor of Alabama since 2017. Originally a conservative Southern Democrat, Ivey became a member of the Republican Party in 2002. She was the 38th ...

's former communications director Josh Pendergrass had been named API's chief communications officer.

Policy positions

API researches policy issues and offers analysis and proposals through reports and publications to public servants, citizens, and the media. As a

, API addresses a range of policy issues in the areas of economics, education, the environment, government, family and society. API has argued for what they consider to be fairer

taxes A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, o ...

in Alabama. In 2003, API was a staunch opponent of

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Governor

Bob Riley Robert Renfroe Riley (born October 3, 1944) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 52nd governor of Alabama from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented Alabama's 3rd district in the U. ...

's $1.2 billion tax increase proposal. It commissioned a study by the Beacon Hill Institute about Riley's tax increase legislation. API has been a critic of proposals for an Alabama state lottery, labeling such proposals a regressive tax on the poor. API has championed

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

s in Alabama. It strongly supports the Alabama Accountability Act, which expanded school choice and school vouchers in the state. API was a proponent of both the Marriage Act, passed in 1998, and Alabama Amendment 774, which was approved by 81% of Alabama voters in 2006. In 2014, API released a report titled ''Alabama's Environment 2014: Six Critical Indicators''. It covered energy, air quality, water quality, forests and land, toxic release inventory and climate change. It provided a positive outlook on the state of the environment, arguing that the nation's air quality and the environment in general are improving. In February 2015, the Alabama Policy Institute and the Alabama Citizens Action Program filed a lawsuit asking the Alabama Supreme Court to halt same-sex marriages in the state until the United States Supreme Court addresses the issue.

References

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External links

Official website

Organizational Profile
– National Center for Charitable Statistics (Urban Institute) Organizations established in 1989 1989 establishments in Alabama Political and economic think tanks in the United States Conservative organizations in the United States Organizations based in Birmingham, Alabama Conservative political advocacy groups in the United States