Thursday 12/29/2005 DAILY NEWS DIGEST
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1135851703162660.xml&coll=2 – Hispanics file suit alleging that Hoover police and elected officials are trying to drive Hispanic population out of city through racial profiling, unlawful incarceration and illegal searches.
http://www.al.com/opinion/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1135851403162641.xml&coll=3 – Editorial calls for legislature to begin work to address funding hole in Medicaid in light of change in federal financial participation rate.
http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1135779303269730.xml&coll=1 – GOP state chair’s commentary calls for state to return “surplus” to taxpayers.
http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1135779306269730.xml&coll=1 – Editorial urges legislature to insure that needs of state are “fully met” with potential surplus in ETF.
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/051229/king.shtml - Attorney General King responds to criticism by Christian Coalition on gambling issues, accuses John Giles of ‘grandstanding.”
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051229/OPINION01/512280358/1012/OPINION - Editorial on balancing safety requirements in day care with affordability, calls for state to increase investment in subsidized child care.
FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
EDITORIALS
Accountability: Lost in the woods
In our opinion
12-29-2005
Although critics of state government like to throw around words like “accountability,” a recent report in the Mobile Register underscored the problems facing anyone bold enough to attempt to apply principle to practice.
In examining the record of the Alabama Forestry Commission, the Register found that over the last nine years the agency had given out around $2.6 million in grants to groups affiliated with commission members.
Moreover, the reporter learned that the grants were given largely at the discretion of the state forester and that there was no requirement that grants be brought before the commission for approval. On top of that, the auditing and reporting procedure was not being fully followed.
All of this came to light when the two newest members of the commission, both appointed by Gov. Bob Riley, began asking questions and suggesting changes. In response, the veteran members of the commission pushed through a rule that made it more difficult for the commission to fire the state forester and his deputy.
This might not have happened, and some semblance of order and accountability might be emerging from the mess, if the confirmation of two other Riley appointees had not been held up in the state Senate (probably by that pesky filibuster over opening donor records of lobbying groups). So there is little chance of anything being done until the governor submits new appointees and the Senate acts.
Now, we are not suggesting that the grants given out were not needed. The agencies that received them do good work on shoestring budgets. Nor are we suggesting that there is anything illegal being covered up by sloppy accounting and reporting. Like most state offices, the Forestry Commission is understaffed due to budget cuts.
However, the situation does not look good and it will not look better until the composition of the commission is changed and real accountability measures are in place and enforced.
Gov. Riley made a good start at this with his initial appointees. We urge him to consider like-minded individuals when he appoints again, and we hope the Senate will put the good of the state ahead of politics and vote them through.
Meanwhile, those who demand more accountability in state government should consider this a test case and watch the outcome closely.
