Archive for: March 26, 2008

I just wanted to point out that State Auditor Samantha Shaw has issued a single press release since being elected. That press release was mainly property loss.

“When property which is owned by the taxpayers of Alabama is lost and needs to be replaced”, asserts State Auditor Sam Shaw, “it must be replaced using more taxpayer dollars. My job is to do what the people of Alabama elected me to do which is to be accountable for the over $1.7 billion worth of state property they own and make certain it does not need to be replaced unnecessarily.”

Why is this position elected? I don’t fault Shaw for issuing a single press release — there’s just not that much to report.

I’m sure she’s a nice person and does a wonderful job. But the State Auditor shouldn’t be elected for the same reason the clerk of the House of Representatives shouldn’t be elected — it’s a job. I’m sure it’s an important job, but I could really care less about the political sensibilities of Samantha Shaw.

Even before we get around to eliminating the election of the Auditor, however, I’d like to see us remove the state-wide requirement that we elect all circuit clerks in the state. The circuit clerks’ elections are mandated by Amendment 328 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901. I follow state and local politics fairly closely, but I couldn’t tell you the name of the current clerk of Tuscaloosa County’s circuit, nor any of his or her opponents in 2006. It’s just really not anything I care about.

Despite having the public backing of Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom (D), Senator Jabo Waggoner (R), Representative Mike Hubbard (R), and Speaker of the House Representative Seth Hammett (D), Governor Riley’s proposed $40 million tax “re-structuring” of natural gas was turned down by the House Government Appropriations Committee by a vote of 4-11.

I think that’s the longest sentence I’ve ever posted.

I first want to make it clear that Senator Erwin didn’t really care about this bill. He put it up and got his name in the paper and all, but he wasn’t actually trying to get this bill passed. He didn’t even bring anyone to speak on behalf of the bill.

A state Senate committee has blocked bills to let professors and some students carry guns on Alabama’s college campuses.

The Senate Education Committee voted down three bills sponsored by Republican Sen. Hank Erwin of Montevallo on Wednesday. The votes came after Alabama university officials said they would make campuses unsafe.

I still say it should just be up to the individual universities.

Not sure why my link roundup posts haven’t been working for the last couple days. Sorry for the inconvenience.

There’s a crazy practice in Alabama that I first learned from Danny a couple years ago.

Alabama sheriffs may pocket leftover food money after feeding inmates at the county jails, the Alabama attorney general has ruled.

The opinion issued March 17 offered guidance on the controversial practice of sheriff’s keeping whatever is left over from the $1.75 a day per inmate the state pays sheriffs to provide food in the jails.

Troy King’s office has issued an AG Opinion that this practice is legal. The opinion isn’t yet available online, but according to statute:

All fees, commissions, percentages, allowances, charges and court costs heretofore collectible for the use of the sheriff and his deputies, excluding the allowances and amounts received for feeding prisoners, which the various sheriffs of the various counties shall be entitled to keep and retain… (Ala Code 36-22-17)

County official had asked for the opinion because they wanted King’s office to say that “entitled to keep and retain” meant that the sheriff could use it for official purposes, but not personal income. On part of the Opinion explains:

The phrase “keep and retain” has been interpreted in other fee-for-service situations to mean that “the officials retain the fee as personal income,” the opinion read.

This sounds like a really bad law.

Birmingham-based Regions Bank is about to lay off 585 people. The listed reason?

The job cuts were prompted by the company’s decision to “drive efficiency and effectiveness throughout the entire organization” amid merger and integration efforts after its $10 billion acquisition of hometown rival AmSouth Bancorp, Deighton said.

Luckily A Bama Blog recently posted a Milton Friedman video I just watched.

I love a good fight between the states and the federal government.

According to the ACLU, 18 states have so far passed legislation resisting the federal REAL ID Act. Alabama Representative Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) has introduced a resolution for the Heart of Dixie, but it has not yet moved out of committee.

The state legislation opposing REAL ID range from California’s non-binding resolution asking the state’s own Congressional delegation to delay the measure only until it’s funded by Congress to New Hampshire’s statute absolutely barring the state from participating in it. (Note: I really like New Hampshire). Cam Ward’s resolution would oppose implementation of REAL ID in Alabama and urge Congress to repeal the Act.

The law would go into effect on May 11, but most states already have an extension. New Hampshire’s fierce opposition seems to have irked Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. He says he didn’t find the Granite State’s written request for an extension “legally acceptable.” This is despite the fact that Montana was given an extension without even asking for it.

Maybe Mr. Ward will give us an update on support for his resolution.

Birmingham News: Birmingham school board tables laptop discussion

They’re not saying they won’t accept BMLL’s plan to give every student in Birmingham a cheap laptop. They just don’t want to accept the first 1,000 until they have a contract with the city.

Board attorney Tom Stewart said he would work with city attorneys to draft a contract this week. The board will discuss it again at a Committee of the Whole meeting April 3 at 5 p.m. and will have a board meeting following the committee meeting.

I’m really starting to think they’d be better off with Eee PCs from ASUS. I say that because I really think I want one and I require that my personal sensibilities be reflected in government policy.