Governor removes Sen. Chris Elliott from ATRIP-II committee

Senator says act is revenge for opposition to toll project

By Allison Marlow
Posted 9/13/19

On Sept. 9, Gov. Kay Ivey removed Baldwin County Sen. Chris Elliott (R – Daphne) from the ATRIP-II committee she had appointed him to earlier this year, a move Elliott said he believes was …

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Governor removes Sen. Chris Elliott from ATRIP-II committee

Senator says act is revenge for opposition to toll project

Posted

On Sept. 9, Gov. Kay Ivey removed Baldwin County Sen. Chris Elliott (R – Daphne) from the ATRIP-II committee she had appointed him to earlier this year, a move Elliott said he believes was politically motivated due to his opposition to the Mobile River Bridge tolling project.

Elliott first learned of his removal from the committee from a post from the Alabama Political Reporter blog.

“I was disappointed to initially learn through a single online blog of the Governor’s decision to remove me from the ATRIP II Committee,” Elliott said. “Unfortunately, this action did not come as a surprise. It’s clear that the Governor’s office is disappointed with my decision to withdraw my support from her flawed I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway proposal.”

Elliott said while he was initially supportive of the bridge project, he felt the project eventually presented by ALDOT did not fit within the needs for local residents, especially given the onerous toll being floated.

“I have long been and remain a supporter of a solution for the I-10 corridor, but as details of the scheme proposed by ALDOT were made available, it was clear that this was a bad deal for my constituents and bad deal for Coastal Alabama,” Elliott said. “Despite this action, I remain committed to work with the Governor’s office on a realistic solution for this critical infrastructure need.”

To replace Elliott on the ATRIP-II committee, Ivey tapped longtime Mobile Democratic Senator Vivian Figures.

In a statement, Ivey said “Serving on ATRIP II is a privilege, not an entitlement.”

“It also carries with it significant responsibilities and as such, I have asked Senator Vivian Davis Figures, the most senior senator from the Mobile/Baldwin County Delegation, to take my appointment to this committee,” Ivey said. “Senator Figures has a proven track-record of seeking progress and finding ways to bring people together who are seeking common ground.”

The committee is now comprised of Figures, ALDOT Director John Cooper, State Senators Arthur Orr and Garlan Gudger, Representatives Bill Poole, Debbie Wood and Steve Clouse and Choctaw County Commissioner Tony Cherry.