Friday 4/25/2008 DAILY NEWS DIGEST
Birmingham News - Sponsor says that delay by Senate committee effectively kills bills that would require state to provide driver’s license exams and conduct other state business in English-only.
Birmingham News - Alabama identified as a “high activity” state for number of immigration bills considered by legislature.
Birmingham News - City of Homewood gives McCain campaign big discount on meeting space, provides free inmate labor for meeting set-up.
Birmingham News - Former interim chancellor of postsecondary system announces resignation as president of Gadsden State Community College.
Birmingham News - State Examiners of Public Accounts begins collecting financial information on school superintendents, their staff members.
Birmingham News - Experts say competition for Volkswagen facility to be battle between Alabama and Tennessee.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News calls for Senate to “put aside its disputes” long enough to vote for tax reform plan.
Huntsville Times - The Huntsville Times praises actions of state’s Environmental Management Commission is setting new standards reducing the amount of carcinogens allowed in waterways.
Montgomery Advertiser - Atmosphere strained as Senate continues filibuster over Macon County gambling bill, proponents threaten disrupt remaining days of session if bill dies.
Montgomery Advertiser - Debate on bill to modify state’s corporate income tax keeps House tied up for second day.
Montgomery Advertiser - Head of state’s workforce development efforts says Alabama must find new ways to prepare workers if economic development is to continue.
Montgomery Advertiser - The Montgomery Advertiser calls for legislators to recognize their obligation to provide adequate funding for Department of Corrections.
Tuscaloosa News - Governor meets with legislative Democratic caucus, seeks help in settle tax battle with ExxonMobil.
Tuscaloosa News - Summary of yesterday’s legislative action.
Tuscaloosa News - House committee approves measure to give tax break to small businesses, their employees for health insurance costs.
Tuscaloosa News - The Tuscaloosa News calls for legislature to address funding needs for state’s prisons.
Anniston Star - The Anniston Star questions Governor’s opposition to tax reform plan.
Daily Home - The Daily Home calls for Governor to continue his fight for expansion of pre-K.
FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
Alabama film incentives bill clears House committee
Capitol Correspondent
MONTGOMERY — A bill that would provide tax breaks to the film industry has gained committee approval and could head to the full House as early as next week.
The House Education Appropriations Committee gave unanimous approval for the bill Thursday, after it was amended to link its passage to a bill that requires certain partnerships and limited liability companies to pay taxes for non-resident partners.
Committee Chairman Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre, said the bill could come up on the House’s special order calendar next week.
If it does, he said it shouldn’t be too hard to get it passed.
“I think everyone is well satisfied,” Lindsey said. “If we can get it to the floor, I think most people would be on board.”
State and local officials have been lobbying lawmakers to get the bill out this year, because Alabama is among a handful of states that don’t offer industry incentives.
Linda Swann, director of the Alabama Film Office, said if the incentive bill doesn’t pass this year she fears the state would be locked out of consideration by film and television production companies.
Pete Conroy, a Joint Powers Authority Board member and director of Jacksonville State University’s Environmental Policy and Information Center, said having the bill passed out of committee “is the best and worst situation.”
“AEA is supporting the bill, it’s out of committee, and the language is excellent,” Conroy said. “But we’re running out of time.”
The Joint Powers Authority oversees redevelopment at McClellan and has been working for several years to make the former fort into a center for film arts. The Legislature’s failure to pass a tax incentive measure has been a hindrance.
Identical bills in the House and the Senate propose incentives to companies that incur between $500,000 and $10 million in production expenditures.
Companies would receive an income tax credit equal to 25 percent of qualified production expenditures, plus 35 percent of all payroll for wages and benefits paid to Alabama residents.
With six meeting days left in the 2008 legislative session, both the House and Senate bills are in position to be acted upon by their respective bodies before the session ends May 19.
But both chambers are in protracted slowdowns, and their constitutional responsibility to pass the general fund and education budgets remains unmet.
Conroy said failure to pass an incentives measure for the film industry would have ramifications for both economic development and education, because the benefits touch both areas.
“It’s imperative that the state Legislature understand the gravity of this bill and work together to prioritize and get it passed,” he said.
Homewood! The latest example of republican elected officials failing to refuse the temptation to turn the public resources they control into republican campaign assets. But they know the republican controlled Department of Injustice will not touch them. Can’t wait till January. Maybe we can design special jumpsuits for republican crews picking up trash along the road.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 7:12 am
From what I read not only did they undercharge the Republicans, the allegations are that the Dems were overcharged based on what the rates actually were.
Comment by anonymous lucy — April 25, 2008 @ 7:27 am
Everyone (particularly Homewood residents) should take this opportunity to let Mayor McCulley know how much we appreciate him using taxpayer resources for partisan political purposes. His official email address is: Verona.petite@homewoodal.org
Comment by Roy — April 25, 2008 @ 10:17 am
Also try: barry.mcculley@homewoodal.org.
Comment by Roy — April 25, 2008 @ 10:34 am
I can’t believe that Scorpious doesn’t have something to say about this.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 11:30 am
I’m not sure about the address in #3, but that provided in #4 is not working. Maybe they got so many emails they turned it off?
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 11:34 am
I’d love to hear more from Rep. Guin on why his actions following the defeat of his bill don’t constitute a petty and childish retaliation on the superintendents. The explanation he gave in the Birmingham News article hardly explains away his outwardly disgraceful behaviour.
Comment by Peter — April 25, 2008 @ 12:13 pm
it’s amazing to me what gets legs and what doesn’t among certain groups - the lib crowd, leftinalabama etc.., will jump up and down with a story like the mccain/homewood deal but then completely downplay the randy henshaw vote for duwayne bridges. Henshaw’s vote passed a bill that shouldn’t have passed, disenfranchising voters and potentially placing a tax on many Alabamians that shouldn’t have even made it out of the house. But lord knows, let’s get crazy over a $950 discount in homewood -
Comment by cooper — April 25, 2008 @ 12:50 pm
Cooper, if you can’t tell the difference I’m not sure who could explain it to you. For me, the difference is I’m a taxpayer in Homewood, and the discount was provided for a partisan political purpose. So my tax dollars have been used to support a political candidate who I may or may not support. That’s wrong. And if GOP folks can’t see, then that’s a fine example of why people feel that we have a Bush administration that is so out of touch with the people.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
The same things go on in North Alabama, but the preferential treatment goes to the Democrats. But it’s wrong no matter who’s doing it.
Comment by Margaret — April 25, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
or, #9, you could look at the other side and say, if it wasn’t for the discount, the function would have been held elsewhere, therefore the city received $ they wouldn’t have gotten on a monday night…But you also conveniently ovelook the other portion of my comment which deals with a far greater issue of corruption - i’ll concede your tax point if you will acknowledge that the left does not rail against corrupt dems such as hinshaw in situations such as this.
Comment by cooper — April 25, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
Big question in Homewood is who the Dems had in charge that forgot to ask for a discount.
There was the reverse at Boutwell several years ago, Reps found out Dems got a better rate, and the answer was “you didn’t ask”
Comment by JD — April 25, 2008 @ 2:11 pm
Cooper - I agree that Hinshaw’s actions were inappropriate, but they weren’t in violation of any House rule. In fact, a GOP member moved to lift the prohibition from voting another member’s machine. And the practice of voting other members’ machines has been a long practice by both Dems and Repubs. So, from that perspective, I’m not all the concerned about it. But I would agree that it shouldn’t occur, and maybe we should all push the House to adopt a rule to prohbit such voting by all members - both those with a (D) or a (R).
Again, hinshaw’s actions were consistent with votes that take place every day in the House. An elected officals using my tax dollars to support a specific candidate is wrong.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 2:14 pm
#12 - according to the McCain folks, they didn’t ask either - they paid what they were asked to pay. It just appears that city officials decided that they would ask a lot less of that candidate, and would just throw in inmate labor for free.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 2:16 pm
cooper,
Your concern for “disenfranchised voters” is touching. It’s also a red herring.
Margaret,
the old “democrats do it too” excuse is a red herring too.
JD,
you know good and darn well if the candidate had been Obama or Clinton they wouldn’t have been given a discount even if they begged for one. And if they had been given a discount the taxpayers would be screaming bloody murder.
Comment by bhmhomeboy — April 25, 2008 @ 2:21 pm
#13, i agree it is a “long practice” of voting anothers machine when you know how they would vote. when you cast a vote that is completely contrary to how that Rep would have voted (i don’t care the letter behind the name) that is wrong - the rule has absolutely nothing to do with this discussion. So no, his vote was not consistent with what “happens everyday” - your complacency bothers me b/c if bridges had voted hinshaw’s machine opposite of how he would have voted, the house would be coming down at leftinalabama…blue dots would be flyin all over this freakin red square…
Comment by cooper — April 25, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
Sorry if it bothers you - but the use of tax dollars for partisan political campaigns is much more of an offense to me than the practice of voting another’s machine. I’ll agree that the voting deal is not appropriate, but jeez,taking public resources to offset the expenses of a campaign function is a much more serious issue. And I’m bothered by your apparent complacency about that issue.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 2:35 pm
well, 17, at least homewood got $250, that’s more than the people in bridges district - all they got was a vote for MORE taxes…against the wishes of the man elected to represent them.
Comment by cooper — April 25, 2008 @ 2:49 pm
If they had asked Comrade Busby, she would have gottem them one.
Comment by JD — April 25, 2008 @ 3:36 pm
Do you really think that HB274 is going to raise the taxes of most of DuWayne’s constituents? I know that this information is old, but it’s the best available at census.gov. Chambers County’s median household income in 1999 was $29,667. Since virtually all households with income below $100,000 would see a savings from the tax bill, I’d guess that most of his constitutents would be better off with that measure, wouldn’t you? Since he thought the 2003 Amendment One was great, you have to wonder why he’s now so opposed to giving his constitutents a break. But, of course, Alfa and BCA problably told him that they didn’t want this. So, like our Governor, he’s willing to sell out the people who put him into office.
But beyond that - you think it’s okay since McCain paid anything at all, is that right? As a taxpayer, it doesn’t matter that my money is used to support a partisan candidate (and yes, my concern would be the same had it gone to a Democratic partisan issue). I can agree that voting on someone else’s machine is inappropriate, but you obviously think that sticking taxpayers with Republican campaing costs are great.
You Repubs have a distorted view of reality when it comes your actions.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
never said “most”, but convenient to your argument - facts never get in the way…i said “many alabamians”, the vote was the 1 vote needed to pass the bill (ironic?). and you are distorting the argument of “sticking taxpayers with Republican campaing (sic) costs…” this is not a Republican Party, or McCain issue, this is the city’s issue that they need to work out internally - sounds like a mere miscommunication that can be solved, but you are attempting to unveil some Republican conspiracy that just doesn’t exist -
Comment by cooper — April 25, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
And your Amendment One argument does not begin to hold up - guess youre carrying the water for the redneck hinshaw who says that b/c brdiges voted for amendment one that he is for this tax increase? bs
Comment by cooper — April 25, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
There you go again, Cooper. Many, but not most….whatever. I still contend that a pretty sizable majority of his district (whether many or most) would benefit from the tax plan. Do you disagree? Even the Revenue Department’s figures would support that.
And the fact that the mayor provided the discount to a GOP candidate is NOT a partisan issue? Get real. And I’m not looking for a conspiracy, it’s just the facts as reported in the news reports, but I guess you attribute that to the liberal medua, huh?
And what’s the deal with the Amendment One issue…I’m merely stating facts, once again. Both Bridges and Riley campaigned heavily for that amendment,stating that the state’s policy of taxing low income people more heavily than the wealthy was “immoral.” But somehow, neither of them seem to think that’s the case any longer. Either they are being disingenuous now, or they were disengenuous in 2003 - you pick which one, and I’ll accept it.
I’m not carrying water for Hinshaw - how many times do I have to say that his actions were wrong. But, you keep going back to that because your stance on the Homewood deal has no substance. Once again, a standard GOP ploy - I’ll just move along to personal attacks if I can’t justify my position any other way.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 5:44 pm
Homey, Maybe you didn’t notice; I said it is wrong no matter who does it.
Comment by Margaret — April 25, 2008 @ 5:55 pm
I wonder how much the Obama campaign paid to rent Bartow Arena at UAB for his campaign rally. Think he paid full freight? And what about “breaks” the campaign received from UAB and the city of Birmingham for parking, facilities charges, etc? Watch out Dems - this one could backfire on you.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
I, for one, hope that someone pursues this. It’s wrong to use public resources for partisan purposes, no matter whether the candidate is Obama or McCain. Perhaps one of the media outlets in Birmingham will pursue it.
Comment by Anonymous — April 25, 2008 @ 8:45 pm
On the earth-shattering controversy in Homeywood: If a pre-determined, standard rate existed, it needed to be charged. If discounts are to be had, and the policy is to allow the mayor/council some wiggle room on the rate, so be it. What’s good for Dems should be good and equitable for Repubs when public facilities are being used. I’m not for political favoritism with tax-supported infrastructure no matter where, no matter who.
As for what Hinshaw did, he ought to be censured and the vote should be retracted, thus nullifying the passage of the bill to the senate for consideration.
Dems know good and darn well that had a GOP member cast a vote to pass anything conservative (read: sensible), the Libs would have thrown a first-rate hissy and shut down the house. (Imagine Cam Ward voting on Alvin Holmes’ machine.)
To try to excuse it away is outrageous, disingenuous and reprehensible. But, lacking character as they do, the Dems in the House and the Dems in this blog aren’t about to renounce anything that, by hook or by crook, furthers their tax and spend agenda… or calls out a fellow accomplice.
Sooner or later, the people of this state will wake up and smell the dung fumes that emanate from the jackasses that control the legislature.
Comment by Scorpius — April 25, 2008 @ 10:08 pm
You’re back! I certainly thought I smelled something. I guess it was tose dung fumes emanating for you!
Comment by Anonymous — April 26, 2008 @ 1:08 am
Is that the best you can do?
An extremely weak comeback lacking any originality.
B-league, lady, B-league.
Comment by Scorpius — April 26, 2008 @ 9:00 am
Scorpious, do you realize that you’re viewed as a joke? Your constant attacks have destroyed any cedibility you might have had, so now you’re just a source of humnor - like what’s the fool saying today? So, in that respect, we miss you when you’re absent for the laughs that you provide us. Your response to any issue is so predictable, just like every repub response to any issue.
Comment by Anonymous — April 26, 2008 @ 9:09 am
Come you guys. Scorpius knows that it is those low-life Libs that created our present economic mess. They have spent billions on a senseless war, and run up a staggering $9 trillion debt. Just remember one thing. One of our greatest Presidents, Ronald Reagan, destroyed the USSR by bankrupting them. GWB is very quickly bankrupting the US. The US dollar declines in value everyday, and we have turned to China to hold us up. This scares the H out of me.
Comment by Consider This — April 26, 2008 @ 10:45 am