Hank Sanders on the Tax Fairness bill
Sen. Hank Sanders, D - Selma, has an interesting piece in the Demopolis Times today outlining the varied and competing interests that led to the Tax Fairness compromise bill that passed the House unanimously.
He likens it to a camel, an animal that appears as if it was designed by committee.
The powerful forces impacting the income tax threshold issue are many: Governor Riley, vigorously pushing an across the board tax cut; Dr. Paul Hubbert of AEA (Alabama Education Association) strongly objecting to any action that reduces the Education Trust Fund; certain Democratic legislators insisting that only those at the very bottom get the tax cut; certain Republican legislators insisting that any tax cut include the highest income groups; members of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus insisting that the threshold be changed “right now”; and others with varying positions. Each force pulled, pushed and tugged, contorting the legislative camel in the making.
And then he makes us hopeful.
Last Thursday, Representative Knight steered the camel through the House of Representatives, beating back 12 attempts to amend it and further contort.
The House eventually passed the bill by a vote of 103-0. As it crossed the half way point in the political desert, it is clearly a creature that can carry us all the way.
I will now try to steer it through the Alabama Senate, completing this journey across burning sands.
We may know the outcome as soon as this coming week.
