Great story on Bob Riley and the tax plan on CBS Evening News. The correpsondent emphasizes the “Christian” reasoning behind shifting the tax burden off the poor. I’m always pleased to see Alabama get national press for something at least arguably positive.
A K-Mart manager was bitten by a woman who he caught shoplifting in Decatur. I guess that will move the danger level of a job as K-mart manager up the scale a little.
PETA did the right thing in bringing attention to the outrageous action of the Mayor of Gainsville, Alabama. She should be prosecuted for abandonment. It’s one thing to work to solve a problem. It is quite another to dump a problem on a neighboring jurisdiction.
What is my take on the Governor not signing the felon voting rights bill(Riley says he never agreed to sign felon bill )? I wish he wouldn’t have done it. The bill was not going to radically alter the system that is in place and he is going to take more flack for not signing it than he would have for signing it.
However, he had every right to veto it. A fact that many Democrats in the legislature have obviously forgotten. Even if there was a deal to pass the bills together, the Governor’s signature was not part of that deal. Any deal the Legislature makes is separate from what the Executive Branch does.
It’s also extremely disingenous to start calling the Governor a “racist” as Alvin Holmes has done over this action (not that anyone listens to Alvin). If the Governor is racist why would you be willing to work with him on anything? You should be fighting him every step of the way if that is what you believe in your heart. Of course, no one believes the Governor is racist because he wouldn’t sign this bill, but the term will get thrown around for political effect.
The pocket veto of this bill is unfortunate, not for what could have been accomplished, but for the sour taste it will leave in many voter’s mouths when they go to the polls on September 9th.
Most Alabama Board of Education members appear ready to ignore federal law and not notify parents whether their child’s teacher is highly qualified under new standards.
So says Charles J. Dean in a story for this morning’s Birmingham News. Please refer to my letter to the editor to understand why the Board is doing the right thing.
Thank goodness one of the major Alabama papers has finally highlighted the fact that with the federal tax reduction, most Alabamians will still see a net reduction in taxes even with the Governor’s tax and accountability package in place. The Birmingham News reports:
Almost all married couples and most households with children are projected to get money back, since both the state and federal tax plans increase exemptions and deductions.The net effect on Alabama taxpayers results from two factors: the greater size of the federal tax reductions and the fact that the Riley plan’s higher state property and income taxes can be deducted when calculating federal income taxes.
“The net cost will be zero to the vast majority of taxpayers, and they’ll be making a huge investment in the state,” said PARCA’s executive director, Jim Williams.
Riley’s spokesman, Pepper Bryars, said the federal income tax reductions provide an opportunity for Alabamians to invest in critical state services, with the federal government replacing the money that would have been taken out of the economy via increases in state taxes.
“What Alabama can do is invest in vital services without drawing additional money out of its citizens’ pockets,” Bryars said. “This is going to be critical to getting people to support the referendum.”
Yes it is, now the key is to take this alnog with the other positive reasons for supporting the plan to the public through every possible venue. With all due respect, I don’t care what the Governor is doing in Germany, he should be here selling this plan. It is going to succeed or fail on his shoulders more than any other’s.
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