Tuesday 4/29/2008 DAILY NEWS DIGEST
Birmingham News - Poll shows Alabamians overwhelmingly support McCain for president, but almost half want troops withdrawn from Iraq.
Birmingham News - Alabama’s Tennessee Valley likely focus of attention by Volkswagen in search for location for new facility.
Birmingham News - Birmingham has one of the lowest foreclosure rates among large cities.
Birmingham News - The Birmingham News comments on announced retirement of president of Gadsden State Community College, calling action a “much-needed change in leadership.”
Mobile Press-Register - With Senate stalemate continuing, Mobile area senators call for special session to pass bills aimed at insurance relief for Mobile and Baldwin county residents.
Mobile Press-Register - Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) reports campaign contributions in her race for U.S. Senate, still lags far behind opponent.
Huntsville Times - The Huntsville Times says that increased growth in county demands increased home rule.
Tuscaloosa News - Major legislation remains in limbo as both House and Senate return to filibusters.
Tuscaloosa News - Business and anti-tax groups rally at State House in opposition to proposal to change state’s gas severance tax.
Tuscaloosa News - Homewood mayor apologizes for discount given to McCain campaign for use of city facility.
Tuscaloosa News - Son of former congressman named campaign chair in David Woods’ race for 2nd congressional district seat.
Tuscaloosa News - The Tuscaloosa News hopes that tax reform measure won’t be among casualties of continuing legislative stalemate.
Anniston Star - The Anniston Star calls proposal to create a separate board for state’s postsecondary system “a move in the right direction.”
Decatur Daily - The Decatur Daily contends that Democratic legislators have “lost their vision.”
Times Daily - The Times Daily sees battle over state’s severance tax as further evidence of flaws within state’s tax system which underscore need for major tax reform.
Opelika-Auburn News - The Opelike-Auburn News says that proposed English-only bills would “move the state backward.”
Daily Home - The Daily Home urges legislature to exempt federal stimulus payments from income tax.
Morning Danny!
–Democrats and Double Dipping–
The real battle over double-dipping starts in the 2008 June Republican Primary, not in 2010. If we lose Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney in this year’s Primary, the Dems and AEA will proclaim victory. Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney, along with Betty Peters and Governor Riley, first tried unsuccessfully to pass a policy banning double-dipping in the two-year college system at a state school board meeting last year in Decatur. The four then voted to hire Bradley Byrne as chancellor and were, ultimately, successful in their second attempt to approve a double-dipping ban. It appears the Dems and AEA are using the “Trojan Horse” strategy by promoting their candidates in the Republican primary. For example, Stephanie Bell’s primary opponent is known as a Democrat in his county. In fact, his latest [2006] campaign contributions include $300 to a Democrat statewide officeholder who is a Clinton delegate to the Democrat National Convention. He also contributed to a Democrat state senator. [Why are we allowing a Democrat to run in the Republican primary? Shouldn’t he be removed before the ballots are printed? After all, the party has removed other “Democrats” from the ballot.]
This is the perfect time for the Dems and AEA to use the Republican primary to knock out Republican officeholders, such as Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney. Fewer people will vote in the June primary because there are no presidential candidates on the ballot and very few contested statewide and local offices. AEA has more money to focus on the state Board of Education races. AEA could easily spend $100,000 on its “planted” candidates in the primary. Unfortunately, Republicans have not provided the necessary financial support in the past [or present] to state school board candidates who must go up against education special interest groups. If we lose Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney in the Republican primary, we lose the double-dipping policy and set the stage for a new majority which will inevitably replace Bradley Byrne as chancellor.
We can send a message and show our support for these courageous state board members who were among the first to stand firm on the double-dipping ban.The Republican party should remove Stephanie Bell’s opponent from the Republican primary ballot. [By the way, Stephanie Bell’s General Election opponent is on the NEA Board of Directors.] The 2010 election is too late. If Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney lose in the primary, it will be even more difficult to garner support in the Legislature for a double-dipping ban.
–Pookie
Comment by Pookie — April 29, 2008 @ 8:03 am
… and we approved this message.
Comment by Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney — April 29, 2008 @ 8:47 am
I’m against English only bills until we start speaking proper English in Alabama. Let’s start by giving all the legislators supporting this bill a TOEFL English test which will test their proficiency in grammar and speaking.
This legislation reminds me of the Georgia Congressman who wanted the ten commandments posted everywhere, but didn’t know all of them.
Comment by Willie — April 29, 2008 @ 9:32 am
Willie, I’m with you. Many of the immigrants those legislators are trying to bash with this bill speak better English than they do. I’d also like to see them attempt to become fluent (speaking, reading, and writing) in another language. I bet they couldn’t do it.
Comment by Kathy — April 29, 2008 @ 9:43 am