Alabama Governor Robert Bentley’s 2014 State of the State Speech

Lt. Governor Ivey, Speaker Hubbard, President Marsh, distinguished guests, members of the Alabama Legislature, Chief Justice Moore, justices of the Alabama Supreme Court – and my fellow Alabamians:

The poorest county in the United States of America is located just 73 miles from where we sit tonight. If we were to drive a little over an hour from this historic hall we would find ourselves in Wilcox County where the median household income is below that of any other county in this nation. 11-thousand of our fellow Alabamians live in Wilcox County where the unemployment rate is chronically in double digits and consistently ranks above the national average.

Everyone in this room knows Alabama is one of the poorest states in America, where one in four children live in poverty. Nearly 1-million of our fellow Alabamians are dependent on food stamps.