Posted by Mobile Press-Register – Chair of legislature’s joint prison committee vows to secure additional $25 million for Department of Corrections, threatens to kill both budgets during legislative session unless DOC sees funding increase.
Mobile Press-Register – Press-Register praises House Speaker Seth Hammett (D-Andalusia) for his efforts to avoid a partisanship battle over congressional redistricting in next year’s session, urges Senators to “learn from his example.”
Huntsville Times – Huntsville plant lures overseas workers for manufacturing jobs, draws ire of local officials who call for company to increase wages or relocate facility to foreign soil.
Huntsville Times – The Huntsville Times praises House leadership for rejecting calls for congressional redistricting plan for next legislative session.
Montgomery Advertiser – Local providers decry lack of adequate funding for Department of Mental Health/Mental Retardation.
Tuscaloosa News – Federal officials say Alabama among states with highest incidence of sexually transmitted diseases.
Tuscaloosa News – State Baptists voice opposition to gambling, alcohol and proposed changes to federal hate crimes legislation as annual meeting draws to close.
Tuscaloosa News – Board adopts new insurance plan for retired state employees.
Tuscaloosa News – State Senator Harri Anne Smith (R-Slocomb) formally announces plan to run for congressional House District 2 seat.
Gadsden Times – The Gadsden Times comments on conflicting reports on performance of Alabama’s schools.
Anniston Star – The Anniston Star praises decision of House Speaker to avoid congressional redistricting in next session.
Dothan Eagle – Farley Nuclear Power Plant officials say that steps are being taken to address safety issues cited by NRC.
New York Times – The New York Times calls for U. S. House to vote quickly to hold in contempt former White House counsel and current White House chief of staff for failing to answer questions in probe of whether political motives influenced federal prosecutions.
Birmingham News – The Birmingham News is pleased that House Speaker “knows better than to try to redraw congressional districts in the next session of the Legislature.”
FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
Alabama gets ‘F’ for use of online reporting
Star Capitol Correspondent
MONTGOMERY — The Internet offers Alabama new opportunities for transparency in government, say Gov. Bob Riley and some advocacy groups. But a new report says the state is failing to make use of the opportunities.
In its State of State Disclosure report, the Washington, D.C.-based policy center Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First gave Alabama an overall grade of F and a national ranking of 49th for the quantity and quality of its online reporting.
The report was released Thursday. It names Alabama, 26 other states and the District of Columbia as dragging their feet on making information available online about economic-development subsidies, procurement contracts, and lobbyists.
Tara Hutchison, a spokeswoman for Gov. Bob Riley’s office, said the office had no knowledge of the center that produced the report, but planned to review the findings.
Nationally, the report shows that online disclosure of corporate tax breaks and other economic-development subsidies lags far behind reporting on procurement contracts and lobbying activities.
Alabama scored 0 percent for Web disclosure of subsidies, 81 percent for procurement contract disclosure and 39 percent for disclosing lobbying activities, for an average of 40 percent.
“Coming on the heels of the ThyssenKrupp subsidy package, this report raises concerns about recruitment-related information the state isn’t making available to taxpayers,” Arise Citizens Policy Project Executive Director Kimble Forrister said in a statement.
Arise, a nonprofit and nonpartisan coalition that focuses on issues and policy impacting low-income Alabamians, assisted Corporate Research Project of Good Jobs First in the research on Alabama.
Only West Virginia, with 37 percent, and Wyoming, with 33 percent, had lower disclosure averages. Connecticut, Indiana and Nebraska had the top three average scores for disclosure. All three received grades of B for their efforts.
No states’ scores averaged above 85 percent, and no state received an A.
“The Internet makes possible an unprecedented level of government transparency and public participation,” Good Jobs First Executive Director Greg LeRoy said in a statement. “But many states have been slow to adopt vigorous online disclosure, especially with respect to economic development subsidies. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia still provide no systematic online subsidy disclosure.”
Hutchison said Riley is a strong supporter of transparency in government and has moved the state forward with the implementation of his Specific, Measurable, Responsive and Transparent, or SMART, governing initiative.
“SMART Governing creates an open window on Alabama government by allowing the people of Alabama to see what is being accomplished with their investment of tax dollars,” Hutchison said. “In addition, Gov. Riley has fulfilled a pledge he made when he first ran for governor by voluntarily disclosing spending from the governor’s contingency fund and state’s aircraft flight logs on the Internet.”
Hutchison said Riley has asked the Legislature to pass laws so these disclosures are made permanent to ensure that future governors will have to be transparent on spending and flights.
“Gov. Riley has also repeatedly urged the Legislature to pass a law requiring public disclosure of everything lobbyists spend entertaining public officials,” she said. “He will continue to push for these transparency-in-government reforms in the upcoming legislative session.”
Phillip Mattera, principal author of the report, said there is evidence that states are doing better, but there is definitely room for improvement.
“The average state gets a grade of only B-minus in contract disclosure and a C-minus in lobbying disclosure,” Mattera said in a written statement. “On subsidies, given the large number of states that scored 0, the average grade is an F.”
Forrister sees that as a problem for lawmakers who have touted reform and transparency.
“Gov. Riley and other state leaders have shown a strong interest in government accountability,” Forrister said. “This report highlights where we’re doing well and where we’re falling short. It offers a thoughtful blueprint for moving Alabama closer to the goal of transparency.”
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From the Huntsville Times:
‘The arrival of 1,350 unskilled laborers from overseas has outraged some community leaders and politicians, who prefer that a local company fill packing jobs with people who live here.’
‘The guest workers, who can earn $8 an hour working 12-hour shifts packing DVDs…’
“If this is the way Cinram plans on operating, I’d just as soon they left our community,” said Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks, who worried about local taxpayers subsidizing health care and education for the workers. “They are not being a good neighbor or responsible citizen. If they want Jamaican workers, open a plant in Jamaica. The Jamaicans would be most appreciative.”
[...] Original post by Alabama Politics in Doc’s Political Parlor [...]
the prison article leaves me confused either Rogers has no idea how to spend the money or if he plans on building two new prisons or spending the money and building two new prisons.
The increase in syphilis cases is troubling. It is a easily treated and diagnosed disease especially when world class medical facility is in the same county.