May 26, 2004
The Education Budget passed by the Legislature in the just completed Regular Session was the largest in the state's history, 4.5 billion dollars. It fully funds teachers' benefits including the absorption of the gigantic 70 million increased cost of health insurance for teachers and support personnel. It restores funding for libraries, fully funds textbooks, and expands the state's reading program which Governor Riley champions. State School Superintendent, Joe Morton, called the fully funding of the Reading Initiative as "the crowning achievement of the budget and the session." The Alabama Reading Initiative has proven to be very successful in improving statewide reading levels. It got 12 million this year. Governor Riley provided for and got an increase to 40 million which should allow the state to expand the program to every K-3 school within two years.
May 19, 2004
In Alabama political history the Lt. Governor's office has not been a good stepping stone to Governor. Attorney General has been the better springboard, but the best lauching pad especially in recent years has been to come out of nowhere.
May 12, 2004
Governors "Big Jim" Folsom and George Wallace were both renowned for calling the Legislature into Special Session. During their era the Legislature met in biannual sessions on every other year. Therefore, it might be necessary to call the Legislature into an Extraordinary Special Session.
May 05, 2004
As we head into the final days of the regular Legislative Session it seems that very little will be accomplished. One may argue that this may be a good thing. A point can be made that we have enough laws as it is and we don't need any more interference in our lives especially from the Alabama Legislature. There is even an old saying that nobody's life, liberty, or property is safe when the Alabama Legislature is in session.
April 28, 2004
One of the more powerful and skilled legislators I ever served with was Representative Roy Johnson from Tuscaloosa. My first term, 1982-1986, he was Speaker ProTem of the House. He was a school principal and a close ally of AEA and Dr. Paul Hubbert. He had been trained by Dr. Hubbert in legislative parliamentary maneuvers and knew the rules of the Legislature as well as anyone. In the eight years prior to 1982, the House of Representatives had been controlled by conservative special interests, primarily the Farm Bureau. The Speaker had been the very conservative Joe McCorquodale from Jackson. His chief lieutenant was Rick Manley, a skilled lawyer-legislator from Demopolis. Manley was McCorquodale's Speaker ProTem. In 1982, a gigantic battle was shaping up for Speaker. McCorquodale retired and the race was on between Rick Manley and Roy Johnson. The two most powerful and opposing interest groups drew swords. Manley was the Farm Bureau/ALFA candidate and Roy Johnson was the AEA/PAul Hubbert candidate. Each had about 35 votes locked up initially. In the 105 member House it was a three-way split, Johnson 35, Manley 35, and uncommitted 35. George Wallace had just been elected to his fifth term as Governor. He knew how to control the Legislature. With his aura and experience it should have been obvious to both sides that he would be a major player in the Speaker race.
April 21, 2004
One could hardly fault Governor Bob Riley for his adamant position of seeking cuts in state funding rather than increased taxes. He is still reeling from the 2-to-1 defeat his tax package received at the polls last year. He very well heard the message loud and clear from Alabamians. He is simply responding to their mandate.
April 14, 2004
The current regular session of the Legislature should be dubbed the accountability session. The question has centered more around who will get credit for proposing and achieving accountability in Alabama's state government, the republican governor or the democratic legislature.