Posted by Sources tell the Parlor that tomorrow Gov. Bob Riley is expected to name Gerald Dial to head the state’s rural development. This would be a disappointment to many advocates for rural development in the state.
The former Democratic senator is widely blamed for killing the creation of a state Center for Rural Development last year. For example, this editorial from April 2006 ran in the Press-Register and was reprinted in the Selma Times-Journal,
Sen. Gerald Dial of rural Clay County, … single-handedly stood on the Senate floor this week and killed legislation that would have created a much-needed Center for Rural Development.
…
Every other Southern state has a center for rural development. The problems faced by rural communities are so severe and so different from urban centers, only an entity solely devoted to rural issues can adequately address them.
One concern: if rural development is important to Riley, why appoint someone who is so at odds with the Democratic senate leadership? And who also was just turned out of office after 32 years by his rural Senate district?
If this plays out, then the story may be more about cronyism or political payback than this being a priority issue for Riley. Riley and Dial are from the same part of the state, and the Democrat Dial appeared in a televison ad for Riley’s Republican gubernatorial campaign after Dial lost the Democratic primary to Kim Benefield.
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[...] February 8, 2007 Danny’s got the scoop Dan on 2007-02-08 @ 11:10 pm His sources (how do I get those?) tell him that Riley will nameformer state Sen. Geral Dial (D-formerly) as head of the state’s rural development. [...]
[...] For the reasons mentioned before, this is extremely disappointing and surprising to many of the state’s advocates for rural development. [...]
It’s not surprising that Riley would choose Dial for this position. After all, Dial DID appear in Riley’s campaign ad. Interesting position, though.
[...] on behalf of Bob Riley’s gubernatorial campaign against Democrat Lucy Baxley and was later appointed by Riley to a new position to head rural development for the [...]
[...] reported here, after losing his reelection in 2006, Gov. Bob Riley created a position for Gerald Dial called the [...]