Montgomery, Ala. (WDNews) — Governor Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that Alabama Department of Revenue Commissioner Vernon Barnett will retire from state service at the end of the month, with Mary Martin Mitchell selected to serve as the next commissioner.
According to the announcement, Mitchell, who currently serves as general counsel within the department, will assume the role May 1.
“Vernon has been an outstanding member of the Ivey Administration from the beginning and has served the people of our state faithfully,” said Governor Ivey. “When I took office in 2017, I promised the people of Alabama I would leave this state better than we found it. Vernon’s leadership and impactful improvements made at Revenue are certainly no exception to that effort. I am truly grateful for all he has done for our state and know he will have great success in his next chapter.”
Ivey added, “Mary Martin has been a driving force behind the Department of Revenue’s success, and I am excited for her to step up as Commissioner. She has impressive institutional knowledge that will serve us well not only over the next eight months, but also into the next Administration.”
Barnett joined the Ivey Administration in 2017. The governor credited him with leading the agency through complex tax policy issues and overseeing programs such as the Simplified Sellers Use Tax, the CHOOSE Act, and efforts tied to tax relief measures including the overtime tax and grocery tax pause.
“It has been the honor and the pleasure of a lifetime to have served the people of Alabama in the Ivey Administration these past nine years as Commissioner of Revenue,” said Barnett. “I want to thank Governor Ivey for placing her confidence in me and for her unwavering support and guidance. I have learned so much from her and treasure the time I have spent in her Cabinet. I am deeply blessed to have served with so many remarkable colleagues during this time. To each of them who have so enriched my life I say thank you. I leave confident that our state and our Department of Revenue are in good hands, and the best is yet to come.”
Mitchell has been with the Department of Revenue since 2013 and has held multiple leadership roles. According to the governor’s office, she has worked extensively in tax policy, administrative law, and complex litigation.
“I am honored to be appointed Commissioner and grateful to Governor Ivey for her trust placed in me to lead the Alabama Department of Revenue,” said Mitchell. “It is a privilege to serve Alabama taxpayers, and I am committed to providing clear guidance and consistent application of the tax laws to support the state’s continued growth. I look forward to building on the positive momentum of the past nine years with integrity and transparency.”
Before joining the department, Mitchell served as a staff attorney with the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and began her legal career in private practice in Huntsville.
