During a recent interview on “1819 News: The Podcast,” Republican gubernatorial nominee Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R‑Auburn) said Montgomery’s crime surge is threatening the city’s economic future and announced that his administration would launch an intensified law‑enforcement effort in the capital if he wins the election on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, we’re going to have to really crack down. It’s going to start, obviously, in Montgomery,” Tuberville told host Bryan Dawson, citing his own campaign office on Dexter Avenue that was robbed “the other night” and noting that “we can’t keep any signs up.” He added that the city’s downtown area has become “dead” and that “nothing wants to go downtown” because of safety concerns.
The senator’s 22‑page “Back to Basics: The Golden Age Playbook” outlines seven priorities for Alabama, including a section titled “safe streets and safe homes.” Tuberville argued that the lack of business activity downtown stems directly from the city’s failure to fully address crime, saying, “Within six years, everything’s changed from my first election to this election, and then all the stores down there are empty.”
According to Tuberville, Mayor Steven Reed turned down a $50 million investment from a New York group that sought to purchase and renovate historic storefronts on Dexter Avenue. “They went and put $50 million into buying some of the old stores on Dexter Avenue and fixing them up, and the mayor shut them down because they wanted to do something else, and they’re in lawsuits right now,” the senator claimed.
Tuberville emphasized the need for alignment between city, state and community leaders, stating, “We just have to get on the same page. You have to have the same goals, and obviously, the same goals right now are not what the city government and what the state government and the surrounding communities have.” He framed the proposed law‑enforcement push as essential to restoring confidence for businesses and residents alike.
What’s next: Montgomery voters will decide on Tuesday whether Tuberville’s plan to revitalize public safety and attract investment will become state policy. The outcome will shape the city’s approach to crime prevention and downtown redevelopment in the months ahead.
Sources: 1819news.com
