The World Around You

Since I began this blog when the big college sports were out of season, many of you may not know that I am a big sports fan. I am a huge supporter of my alma mater, Purdue and also follow SEC Sports.

Yet, even in the off-season, news jumps out from time-to-time. One of my favorite Purdue teams to support is women’s basketball, and one of the all-time greats (who I had the pleasure of watching in person for 4 years), is Stephanie White, who has just been hired at Ball State University (my father’s and brother’s alma mater) as an assistant coach.

Congratulations Steph!

I am sick and tired of people complaining about not being able to see where their money is going. Take for example this letter in the Mobile Register this morning,

Maybe the public would be more receptive to a tax increase if we were shown the money earmarked (pigeon-holed) for special projects. I’m old and have heard taxes for schools since childhood. There is money in these special accounts.

Let the public see it in print.

W.J. McHALE

Spanish Fort

It’s not like this information is hidden in some vault somewhere. The budget is available for anyone who wants to look at it. Several non-partisan groups have done analysis for anyone to see (ie Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama and the Legislative Fiscal Office). Citizens are just too lazy to do the work themselves. I’m also certain that all of the state papers, over the years, have looked at the budgets and pointed out where the money goes.

Just to get the ball rolling, every penny of state income tax is earmarked for teacher salaries (yet, we still don’t have enough teachers and they still aren’t paid enough). So that eliminates one entire source of revenue. Next?

I am excited to hear that the Governor will begin his full-on blitz for his accountability and tax plan on July 14, according to the Mobile Register. I’v said it before, and I’ll say it again, the only person who can save this package from defeat is the Governor himself. He has to continue to re-state what is included and what is not. He has to emphasize that this is reform, not just a tax increase. The package can pass, but it will take a lot of effort from him and from Alabama citizens to make it happen.