Alabama Politics in
Doc’s Political Parlor
& Home of Lawn Mower Repair

Birmingham News - Alabama’s superdelegates split over Clinton vs. Obama.

Birmingham News - The Birmingham News says that proposed compromise on ban of PAC-to-PAC transfer doesn’t fix the problem and should be rejected.

Birmingham News - The Birmingham News comments on recent guilty plea by son of former Fire College director in continuing corruption probe.

Montgomery Advertiser - Sebastian Kichens’  weekly update of legislative activities for readers of The Montgomery Advertiser.

Montgomery Advertiser - The Montgomery Advertiser is pleased to see bill to overturn ban on “double-dipping” die, but cautions that it will be back.

Tuscaloosa News - A year after indictment, no trial date set for former state trooper accused of 1965 killing that led to historic Selma to Montgomery march.

Tuscaloosa News - Hospitals moving to ban smoking in private vehicles on their property.

Tuscaloosa News - The Tuscaloosa News reviews legislature’s missed opportunities for reform this session.

Tuscaloosa News - The Tuscaloosa News says this week’s vote shows that for state senators “fairer taxes is not among their goals.”

Tuscaloosa News - “Alabama Exposure,” Dana Beyerle’s weekly political roundup for readers of the NYTimes regional papers.

Daily Home - Daily Home urges legislators to find compromise to remove sales tax from food purchases.

Mobile Press-Register - Press-Register’s assessment of 2008 regular legislative session:  “it could have been worse.”

Mobile Press-Register - Commentary by leaders of the Democracy Defense League argue that voter ID is needed in state.

Washington Post - Internal memo shows frustration by staffers with Special Counsel.

Tuscaloosa News - Move to four-year property tax reappraisals dead for this legislative session.

FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:

State Senate to tackle education budget May 19

MONTGOMERY — The state Legislature will take a week-long break from lawmaking next week, leaving one of its two constitutional responsibilities to the last day of the session.

Senators will tackle the proposed $6.3 billion education budget when they return May 19, in hopes of passing a budget that Gov. Bob Riley either will have to accept or veto.

Waiting to the last day is a strategic move that gives Riley little room to make significant changes to the budget.

The state’s proposed $2 billion general fund budget, which pays for all non-education-related services, already has cleared both chambers and awaits Riley’s signature.

Jeff Emerson, director of communications for the governor, said Riley hopes to avoid calling a special session to address the education budget, and he isn’t making any plans to call for one on that issue.

“Obviously, a lot depends on what happens on the last day of the session,” he said.

What could happen if higher education has its way, is that the education budget could grow by an additional $25 million.

The state’s four-year colleges have been working to get their appropriations increased for the next fiscal year, and those negotiations continued during the last meeting day before the break.

Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, has been adamant that the bottom line for the education budget not move.

Sanders is the chairman of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education committee, which handles the education budget in the upper body.

Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, a minority leader in the Senate, said in a previous interview that negotiations still were ongoing over bills that would force 44 companies to pay state corporate income taxes, and provide a tax break for small businesses and their employees.

Without the corporate income tax bill, $67 million would have to be cut from the education budget.

Speaker of the House Seth Hammett, D-Andalusia, said during his weekly press briefing that an agreement had been reached, but the additional $25 million for higher education remains a sticking point.

“I do not support that increase because the money is not there,” Hammett said.

The education budget isn’t the only issue legislators might try to tackle before the session ends.

Bipartisan efforts were ongoing Thursday to work out a compromise to move a bill that would allow Alabamians to vote on removing the state portion of the sales tax on food.

Hammett said a concrete agreement hadn’t been reached, but bill sponsor Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery, still was working to try to get the bill before the Senate again.

An effort to bring the bill up for debate failed, but Sanders vowed to try to bring it back on the Senate’s calendar before the session ends.

For the most part, Democrats supported the measure, while Republicans voted against it.

Riley has urged Sanders and Knight to accept a compromise proposal that would cut the state sales tax on groceries, but keep the federal income tax deduction for most Alabamians.

The governor’s plan would reduce the state portion of sales tax on food by 3 percent, and raise the threshold at which people pay state income taxes from $12,600 to $15,500 over the next five years.

Riley’s proposal also would allow Alabamians to vote on returning to four-year property appraisals.

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