The World Around You

Congratulations to the Boilermakers on a tremendous victory over Arizona today. They needed a win like this to bolster their confidence heading into the Notre Dame game next week and the Big Ten season to follow. With Ohio State’s struggles and Michigan’s loss, the conference is looking as competitive as ever. Watch out for Purdue.

Cross-posted at Sportsblog.

Chatter is already beginning over what a free-for-all the regular session of the Alabama Legislature will be, beginning in February. Gambling is going to be one of the big items upcoming, according to an AP piece by Phillip Rawls,

“There will be a major push in February for gambling,” said. Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, a leader of gambling opponents in the Senate.

Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, said he will offer legislation to create a state lottery, as he has done several times before. Holmes is optimistic that hard times in the state budget will change public sentiment toward a lottery, which Alabama voters rejected in 1999.

“There seems to be a lot of support for a lottery,” said Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre, chairman of a House budget committee and a supporter of the 1999 lottery.

A longtime lottery proponent, Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, said he will change directions in February and will offer legislation to legalize casinos in Alabama.

“A lottery for Alabama won’t pay off now because we’re already surrounded by them in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. But with casinos, we’d be competing with only one state — Mississippi,” he said.

I have always been a proponent of the lottery and casinos (with appropriate regulation). Of course these are not solutions to Alabama’s funding problems, but they are measures that make sense, given there are hundreds of thousands of Alabama’s citizens who participate in these activities to the great financial benefit of citizens of other states.

It’s also no surprise that tax hikes will be on the agenda,

Legislators say items they expect to consider include some of the taxes that were in Riley’s failed tax plan, including a cigarette tax, higher mortgage and deed recording fees, elimination of some income tax deductions, and higher sales taxes on car sales and leases. State law would allow the Legislature to enact them without a vote of the people.

Some legislators say the governor opened the door for new taxes when he spoke to them Monday night. During that speech, Riley reiterated his opposition to new taxes without more accountability in state government, and he said he will offer a package of accountability legislation in February.

Senate President Pro Tem Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, predicted the Legislature will raise taxes “at some future date as part of a package.”

Everyone knows this is coming, but it needs to be preceded by the enacting of the Governor’s accountability package. Then, we can have a discussion about ways to generate revenue.

Imagine my surprise when I go out to pick up my morning paper today and there is an article on blogging. Cool! Then I look at the box listing several Alabama blogs and there’s my name. Thank you to the Advertiser, and welcome to all interested in blogging. Feel free to post your comments and questions and come back often!