Autauga County Commission (L to R); John Thrailkill, Bill Tatum, 

Chairman Jay Thompson, Terry Tanner and Rusty Jacksland.

Autauga County, AL- Autauga County joined Alabama’s 66 other counties in making significant investments in public safety duringfiscal year 2026, with Alabama’s Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT) serving as an essential revenue source amid rising operational costs.

Across Alabama, counties spent nearly $1 billion on lawenforcement services this past year, including more than $570 million forsheriff’s departments, nearly $400 million for jail operations and more than $70 million for inmate medical care. Together, these services represent one of the largest responsibilities of county government and require substantial annual investment.

Established in 2015, SSUT requires eligible out-of-state sellers to collect and remit use tax on purchases made by Alabama consumers.The revenue is distributed to state, county and municipal governments. For Alabama counties, SSUT has become a critical funding source for essential public services, particularly law enforcement.

“SSUT revenue allows Autauga County to strengthen services our citizens rely on most,” said Autauga County Commission Chairman JayThompson. “It helps us provide the Sheriff’s Office with the personnel,equipment and operational support needed to protect our communities while also increasing our investment in local schools. This investment is ultimately about preserving public safety and allowing these resources to directly benefit families throughout our county.”

With the start of the new fiscal year just around the corner, county officials throughout our state are preparing a new budget to govern spending beginning Oct. 1, 2026. Law enforcement costs will again be a primary focus of those discussions, as they were for Autauga County.

“In most counties, the revenue from SSUT is the only growing source of revenue. Without it, most county expenditures would be stagnant,”said Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the Association of CountyCommissions of Alabama. “Law enforcement and the operation of the county jailis the single largest expenditure in every county in our state, so everyone has a vested interest in protecting the revenue from SSUT and ensuring that it continues to fund these essential services.”

Before the creation of Alabama’s SSUT program, the state relied on voluntary remittance of use taxes owed on online purchases. Enacted more than a decade ago, SSUT is recognized as an efficient and effective systemfor collecting those taxes.

For additional information, contact Scott Kramer, AutaugaCounty Administrator, at Scott.Kramer@Autauga.com or334-358-6700.