PSC Commissioner Susan Parker will not run for Congress

Alabama Public Service Commissioner Susan Parker said Wednesday that she will run again for her current position and will not be a candidate for the District 5 congressional seat.
Parker, who was also elected state auditor in 1998, is the second high profile Democrat in as many days to announce she will not run for the seat.
She said she was honored and humbled by the encouragement she has received to run for the office, but she will continue her reelection campaign for the commission.
"I feel a strong commitment to continue the important initiatives I have begun on the Public Service Commission: working to keep utility rates low, educating consumers on how to save money by conserving energy, and working hard to stay engaged on a national and regional level to ensure Alabama's interests are protected," Parker said in a statement.
Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks said Tuesday that he has received encouragement from national Democrats, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, to run for the District 5 seat, but decided to continue his run for governor.
Democrats have been looking for a quality candidate for the District 5 seat, which is located in north Alabama and includes Huntsville, since freshman U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith switched parties last week and joined with Republicans.
Sparks and Parker were among the first names to surface as possible Democratic candidates to challenge Griffith or the eventual winner of the Republican primary.
Other Republicans running for the office include Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks and businessman Lester Phillip.
No Democrats have announced they are running for the seat. Griffith was elected a year ago as a Democrat during his first term in the state Senate.
Parker also said she was recently elected by her peers to become president of a national organization for commissioners in 2011 and is serving currently as president of an organization of her peers in the southeast.
"These leadership roles are important to helping Alabama and other southeastern states deal with the uncertain future of climate change legislation and energy production," she said.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Davis camp criticizes Sparks for latest announcement

Ron Sparks' opponent in the Democratic primary for governor is bashing him for his latest announcement, saying he has not shown he is committed to run for the office.
Sparks, the state's two-term agriculture commissioner, cannot run for a third consecutive term. He announced Tuesday he was staying in the race for governor after considering a run for Congress in the 5th District in northern Alabama.
National Democrats, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, encouraged him to run for the office after U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith decided to switch parties. Democrats are looking for a strong candidate to run against Griffith or the other eventual winner of the Republican primary.
Davis' spokesman, Alex Goepfert , pointed out that Sparks has considered runs for Congress, lieutenant governor, and governor and has said he would like to run for another term as agriculture commissioner.
"While Artur Davis is focused on a bold new agenda for our state, Ron Sparks has spent the last week trying to get permission from his political bosses in Montgomery to see if they would let him run for Congress in a district he does not even live in," Goepfert said in a statement. " ... There is a reason why Ron Sparks continues to lag way behind Artur Davis in every poll -- he has no core convictions, believes in nothing and as a result will say anything, and the last thing he ought to be is governor of Alabama."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Sparks staying in race for governor

Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks has decided to stay in the Democratic primary for governor and not run in the race for the District 5 congressional seat.
National Democrats, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, had encouraged Sparks to enter the District 5 race since U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith switched parties a week ago.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Riley calls lawsuit wasteful, political and frivolous

A circuit judge dismissed a lawsuit against Gov. Bob Riley and a computer consulting company on Wednesday, which prompted more charges that the lawsuit was frivolous, wasteful and political.
The lawsuit, brought by the legislative contract review committee, did not seek damages, but sought to stop the multi-million-dollar contract with Paragon Source LLC.
"We said from the beginning this lawsuit was frivolous and a waste of taxpayer money," Riley said in a statement. "Today, the judge confirmed just that. It's over. Now it's time for the Democrats to stop playing politics and quit wasting everyone's time and money."
Democrats have repeatedly voiced their concerns over Paragon, which was awarded a no-bid contract that could pay as much as $13 million over five years. They said they had concerns about giving such a large contract to a company with no Web site, no listed phone number and that listed its headquarters as personal residences.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the contract review committee, said he was very disappointed in the ruling, but said it was not based on the merits of the case. He said the judge ruled that the committee did not have legal standing to file the case.
"We're going to continue to pursue this. This issue is not going away," said Holmes, D-Montgomery. "The committee still has subpoena power."
Circuit Judge Tom King ruled that the committee did not have legal standing to sue; that members did not prove the actions damaged them or their official duties; that the lawsuit was moot because the committee had no jurisdiction after the contract was executed; and that the lawsuit raised political questions that were not appropriate for the court to decide.
"The court finds that neither the committee nor its individual members, such as Chairman Holmes, have standing in their official capacities to sue to declare void a state professional services contract that the committee has reviewed, commented on, and discharged," the judge wrote in his order.
Holmes said options include appealing the ruling or refiling the lawsuit with a different plaintiff. The legislator said they are in the process of trying to find an individual to be the plaintiff.
He said there were also a handful of companies who were willing to testify in the case that they could have performed the work.
Holmes and the attorney for the committee, Tyrone Means, argued that Paragon never should have received a "sole source" contract because other companies could perform the work. He said they would discuss the situation with those companies and see if they are willing to be plaintiffs.
Riley and Acting Finance Director Bill Newton have said no one has questioned the company's work and have said Paragon received the sole-source contract because personnel with the company have worked with the Alabama system since its inception. Paragon officials are mapping out a plan to help revamp the state's computer system that is used for financial functions such as payroll and purchasing.
Riley's office contended the lawsuit could cost as much as $300,000 in legal fees while Paragon's work could save $4 million to $6 million a year if implemented.
"The state played by the rules. Paragon is performing important and complex work for the state," Newton said in a statement. "With their valuable help, we will make state government more efficient and save the taxpayers millions of dollars each year."
The committee filed the lawsuit against Riley, Newton and top officials with Paragon.
Holmes said the Alabama constitution provides for a separation of powers and a system of checks and balances between the branches of government.
"The legislative branch has a right to check on the executive branch and how they're spending money," he said.
People should know, he said, what the executive branch is doing with the money and who is receiving it.
Trying to void the contract after it was executed raises concerns about separation of powers, King wrote.
The two sides debated the dismissal during a Dec. 17 court hearing.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

King joins 9 AGs questioning healthcare bill

Alabama Attorney General Troy King said Wednesday afternoon he is joining with nine other attorneys general to investigate constitutional concerns with a provision of the health care bill being considered by the U.S. Senate, which would exempt only the state of Nebraska from paying Medicaid expenses.
U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska, was able to negotiate the changes in exchange for his vote in favor of the bill. He was the necessary 60th vote.
"This is no sweetheart deal, it is a backroom deal of the worst kind," King said in a statement. "Alabama, whose citizens overwhelmingly oppose the current healthcare plan, should not be asked to subsidize vote buying by the Senate leadership. If a bill is so deficient that it lacks sufficient support to even reach a vote; it should either be re-written or die. It should not be kept alive by buying the vote of one state's Senator at the expense of the taxpayers in 49 other states. Perhaps worst of all, the Senate's brazen action -- which was taken in the name of providing healthcare to all --could actually result in denying healthcare to the poorest and neediest across the nation."
King, a Republican, participated in a conference call of the 10 attorneys general on Tuesday to discuss the so-called "Nebraska Compromise." They discussed possible legal concerns to the Senate version of the bill, which is expected to pass Thursday. The Senate version is different from the version passed earlier by the House and will require a conference committee between the two chambers to hammer out the differences.
"No one questions that the Nebraska Compromise is patently absurd," King said. "The question is whether it is also unconstitutional. We are evaluating whether it is, and, if it is, what our oaths require us to do to defend the Constitution. If the Senate refuses to contemplate these serious constitutional questions and concerns, then we will."
Gov. Bob Riley and Medicaid Commissioner Carol Herrmann-Steckel have also expressed concerns about the deal created for Nebraska.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Judge dismisses suit against Riley, computer consulting company

"We're going to continue to pursue this. This issue is not going away."
State Rep. Alvin Holmes

A circuit judge dismissed a lawsuit against Gov. Bob Riley and a computer consulting company on Wednesday.
The lawsuit, brought by the legislative contract review committee, did not seek damages, but sought to stop the multi-million-dollar contract with Paragon Source LLC.
Democrats have repeatedly voiced their concerns over Paragon, which was awarded a no-bid contract that could pay as much as $13 million over five years. They said they had concerns about giving such a large contract to a company with no Web site, no listed phone number and that listed its headquarters as personal residences.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, chairman of the contract review committee, said he was very disappointed in the ruling, but said it was not based on the merits of the case. He said the judge ruled that the committee did not have legal standing to file the case.
"We're going to continue to pursue this. This issue is not going away," said Holmes, D-Montgomery. "The committee still has subpoena power."
He said options include appealing the ruling or refiling the lawsuit with a different plaintiff. Holmes said they are in the process of trying to find an individual to be the plaintiff.
He said there were also a handful of companies who were willing to testify in the case that they could have performed the work.
Holmes and the attorney for the committee argued that Paragon never should have received a "sole source" contract because other companies could perform the work. He said they will discuss the situation with those companies and see if they are willing to be plaintiffs.
A spokesman for the governor could not be reached immediately for comment.
Riley and Acting Finance Director Bill Newton have said no one has questioned the company's work and have said Paragon received the sole-source contract because personnel with the company have worked with the system since its inception. Paragon officials are mapping out a plan to help revamp the state's computer system that is used for financial functions such as payroll and purchasing.
The committee filed the lawsuit against Riley, Newton and top officials with Paragon.
Holmes said the Alabama constitution provides for a separation of powers and a system of checks and balances between the branches of government.
"The legislative branch has a right to check on the executive branch and how they're spending money," he said.
People should know, he said, what the executive branch is doing with the money and who is receiving it.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Democrats claim Griffith's consultants took vital data from party on eve of party switch

Democrats demand return of voter data from Griffith

The Alabama Democratic Party is claiming the campaign of U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith downloaded sensitive voter identification data on the eve of his switch to the Republican party.
Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham said the data is the property of the party. He demanded the information be returned and be deleted from the hard drive of Griffith's political consultants or the party will consider legal action.
State Democrats believe Griffith's consultants, Main Street Strategies of Huntsville, downloaded the information to help the congressman "in his new role as a Republican."
Griffith announced his switch to the Republican party in his hometown of Huntsville on Tuesday and said his values are more in line with Washington Republicans.
After hearing about the switch, state Democratic officials took security measures to stop the transfer of any more information.
"The Democratic Party has spent untold sums of money building good data for elections and we make that data available to our Democratic candidates and officeholders. Mr. Griffith's campaign benefited from this asset, and he wouldn't be a congressman today without it," Turnham said in a statement. "Yet, in the wee hours before he became a Republican, Parker Griffith's political operatives, with full knowledge of what was occurring, went online and downloaded our confidential records."
Griffith and his consultants "knew full well this information was the property of the Democratic Party," said Jim Spearman, executive director of the Alabama Democratic Party.
"It is my personal hope that Congressman Griffith knew nothing of this act and that it was the lone unethical action of a political consultant," Turnham said. "But the party will consult with our attorney, and with authorities if necessary, to assess our remedy in these matters. If an apology is made and the data returned, we could consider moving on based on the goodwill of this season."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Alabama congressman announces switch to Republican Party

U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith said he is leaving the Democratic party less than a year into his first term because he is seeing how national Democrats are running the country first-hand.
"This is not about politics. This is about a conviction that I have that America is on the wrong track," he said Tuesday.
Republicans called the switch a pleasant surprise, while Democrats who worked to get him elected a year ago said they felt betrayed and vowed to "right this wrong."
Griffith, a doctor, is walking away from Democrats as they are pushing health care reform.
He said the first $787 billion stimulus was "poorly thought out;" said there was no negotiation with AIG as the company received money from the federal government, but continued to pay outrageous bonuses to executives; and watched the Democratic leadership continue to pursue healthcare reform and legislation to reduce carbon emissions while thousands of men and women lost their jobs.
Griffith, who represents a north Alabama district anchored in Huntsville, also said he was disappointed that Democrats did not fund the transportation infrastructure bill "that would put thousands of people back to work."
"A lot of that disappointed me," he said.
Griffith, who had criticized Democratic leadership, said he found he "did not have a place at the table."
The congressman said disappointment from Democrats is to be expected, but he said Democrats can see what is happening in Washington does not represent Alabama. He said the voters in District 5 elected him as an independent voice. Given time, he said, they will see he will represent Democrats and Republicans.
Griffith voted against the Democratic majority on most major issues including the federal stimulus plan and health care reform.
Griffith, who has opposition waiting for him in the Republican primary for District 5, said he will be able to run the race. He said he has shown that even though he voted against the administration that he can bring funding and projects back to the district.
He also said he was willing to return the money of Democrats who supported him.
"They'll request it and we'll write them a check," Griffith said.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

State Democrats extremely disappointed in Griffith, feel betrayed

"Our folks are motivated to right this wrong." Joe Turnham, chairman of the
Alabama Democratic Party

Joe Turnham, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party, said he is extremely disappointed that freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith is switching parties and said he has talked to several leaders in north Alabama who want to ensure their is a quality Democratic candidate in 2010.
Griffith, less than a year into his first term in Congress, is expected to announce at 1 p.m. that he is switching parties to become a Republican.
Turnham said he has already received calls from several key leaders in the Tennessee Valley who have expressed their commitment to support a strong Democratic candidate who can win the District 5 seat.
"Parker has been a friend for a number of years, but his announcement today, and the way in which he did it, deeply disappoints me," Turnham said. "Democrats of every stripe and philosophy sweated and bled for this man. He narrowly became a congressman through the hard work, votes and financial contributions of thousands of Democrats. Today, they feel betrayed."
State and national Democrats worked hard to help elect Griffith just over a year ago. He was the heir to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, another conservative Democrat from north Alabama.
The chairman asked Griffith to return the thousands of dollars that Democrats helped him raise.
Turnham said the Democrats have a "deep political bench in the 5th District and we will nominate a formidable challenger to fill this seat next year."
"If Congressman Griffith survives a Republican primary battle next year, he should be prepared to bring his lunch if he hopes to hold this seat in November of 2010. Our folks are motivated to right this wrong."
In its release, the Alabama Democratic Party said Griffith has left his old friends "and will ultimately find that he has no political friends left at all at the end of the day."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Mo Brooks to respond to Griffith switching parties

Republican Mo Brooks, who has already announced he is running for a congressional seat in north Alabama, will have a press conference at 2 p.m. today to respond to U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith announcing he will switch parties to become a Republican.
Griffith, a retired oncologist and former Alabama state senator, has scheduled a 1 p.m. press conference.
People can read more about Brooks at:
www.MoBrooksForCongress.com

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

GOP chair says he was surprised to receive call from Griffith

State Rep. Mike Hubbard, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, said he was pleasantly surprised Tuesday morning when freshman U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith called him and said he was switching to the GOP.
"However, it is not a surprise that Griffith realized the Democrat Party has now become more liberal than ever – making Obama, Reid and Nancy Pelosi the gifts that keep on giving for the Republican Party," Hubbard said in a statement.
Hubbard and other Republicans have previously been critical of Griffith and fellow freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright of Montgomery.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Griffith to switch parties less than a year into first term

Several media outlets are reporting that freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith of Huntsville, less than a year into his term, will switch to the Republican party at a 1 p.m. news conference.
Griffith was elected narrowly in 2008 in the conservative district in north Alabama while serving his first term as a state senator.
He was considered to be in a safer district than U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright, a freshman Democrat from Montgomery. Both were expected to have stiff competition going into the 2010 election.
Neither of the freshmen Democrats have voted with the majority on major issues including health care reform and the stimulus.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Riley considering proration in General Fund

Gov. Bob Riley said Thursday he will decide within the next two weeks whether he should declare proration and trigger across the board cuts to the state's budget that funds Medicaid, prisons, state troopers and most other non-education functions of state government.
The chairmen of the legislative committees that help craft the General Fund budget and the director of the Legislative Fiscal Office have said Riley will need to declare proration because there is a projected $120 million shortfall in the budget for the current fiscal year.
Joyce Bigbee, director of the fiscal office, told lawmakers this week that she expects 7.6 percent proration this year in the General Fund.
"I think Joyce's assessment, from what I have seen, is fairly accurate," Riley said Thursday.
Bigbee said $1.4 billion will be available for the General Fund this year, creating a deficit of $120 million. She said decreases in gross sales tax receipts and other revenue sources fell below projections and fell far below the levels of previous recessions due to the severity of the economic downturn.

State Rep. John Knight, chairman of the House General Fund budget committee, told the Montgomery Advertiser a week ago he expected a need for Riley to declare proration.
"Unless something drastically turns around, the governor is going to have to declare proration," he said.
Knight, D-Montgomery, advised Riley to call proration as soon as possible.
Sen. Roger Bedford, Knight's counterpart in the Senate, said calling proration is up to the governor, but appears "unavoidable." He said the state has not faced this situation in the General Fund in 20 years.
Bedford, D-Russellville, said the intent of proration is to spread the cuts across agencies, but that could lead to job cuts and cuts to essential state services.
Bedford, Knight and other officials have concerns about across the board cuts to agencies such as Medicaid and corrections, which they have said need more money and cannot sustain cuts.
Bigbee said Medicaid and corrections regularly make up 50 percent of the General Fund budget.

Medicaid is the source of healthcare for many Alabama seniors and low-income residents.
The Legislature, the administration and department heads have worked together to avoid proration, Bedford said.
Due to the decreasing tax receipts coming into the state, Riley implemented a plan more than a year ago to cut costs that included a freeze on hiring and a freeze on merit pay increases.
The governor also informed state agencies that they would only receive 22 percent of their funding each of the first three quarters of the current fiscal year instead of 25 percent.
Riley would have to declare proration to be able to access a rainy day account for the General Fund.
Bigbee said about $84 million would be available from the rainy day account to help support the agencies in the General Fund.
State officials agree that Alabama has been able to avoid layoffs and more massive cuts because of the $3.2 billion in federal stimulus money that has come into the state.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Attorneys argue about dismissal of Paragon lawsuit

Attorneys for the state and a computer consulting company argued Thursday that the lawsuit against their clients should be dismissed because a legislative panel does not have the authority to contest the multi-million-dollar deal after it was signed.
Tyrone Means, attorney for the legislative contract review committee, argued that Gov. Bob Riley did not have the authority to sign the contract with Paragon Source LLC because it was not the only company that could provide the work.
"He can't approve a contract that should have been competitively bid," Means said.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, and other members of the contract review committee filed suit against Riley, Acting Finance Director Bill Newton and officials with Paragon trying to stop an amended contract that brought the total to almost $13 million over five years.
Kevin Newsom, the attorney representing Riley, argued that the contract review committee had 45 days to review the contract and ask questions, stamped the document, and delivered it to the administration. The committee's jurisdiction ended there and it is trying to essentially veto the contract after it was signed, which Newsom said is a violation of the separation of powers.
"They are trying to get in the court house what they can’t get in the State House," he said.
Means said they have discovered other vendors who said they could have provided the work or at least wanted to bid on it.
He also referred repeatedly to the document that declares Paragon as a "sole source provider," indicating no other entity could provide the work.
"We believe it is not a sole source contract — never has been from the beginning," Means said.
The document has no date on it, has no time stamp on it and was not included in the hundreds of pages of documents the contract review committee received after it subpoenaed records this fall from Paragon and the state.
Means said they did not receive the document until early December when the administration filed to dismiss the lawsuit. The document also references the Paragon contract ending on Sept. 30.
He believes the document was created after questions came up with Paragon.
"Who knows when this was done," Means said.
Newton said Paragon personnel have worked on the state’s computer system since it was implemented almost 20 years ago and have the institutional knowledge to work on the system.
Jefferson County Circuit Judge Tom King is presiding over the case after Montgomery County judges recused themselves.
King did not indicate when he would rule on the motion to dismiss. He has set the next court date for Jan. 7, but indicated that could be delayed because of the holidays.
Holmes and his fellow lawmakers are not seeking damages. They want to void the contract.
The committee cannot stop a contract, but can hold it up for 45 days.
Newsom said the lawsuit is moot because the committee filed it after the contract was signed and the committee no longer has any jurisdiction.
He also questioned whether Holmes was filing the lawsuit as a public official or a taxpayer.
When asked after the hearing whether he filed as a legislator or taxpayer, Holmes responded "both."
Newsom said the taxpayers do not need to pay for Holmes' attorneys if he is suing as a citizen.
Some members of Riley's administration have also pointed out that Holmes and the committee hired Means on a no-bid contract. The committee approved a contract of up to $200,000 with Means.
Legislators have questioned Paragon, which does not have a Web site or a listed phone number, receiving such a large contract from the state.
Newton, Riley and others have said no one has ever questioned the work performed by the company, which was hired to help the state map out an overhaul of the computer system used for financial functions such as payroll and purchasing.
Paragon has become the lightning rod for a fight between the Republican administration and Democratic lawmakers over no-bid contracts.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Democrats to try $1 billion roads bill again

Senate Democrats, again led by Lowell Barron, plan to introduce a bill this year that would take $100 million a year for 10 years from the Alabama Trust Fund to build and improve roads and bridges in the state.
Barron, D-Fyffe, introduced a similar bill during the last legislative session, but it narrowly died in the Senate. He said he hopes to gain the votes needed to pass the legislation in the coming session, which starts Jan. 12.
Members of the Alabama Road Builders Association joined Barron, Sen. Ted Little of Auburn and Senate President Pro Tem Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham at a Wednesday press conference to discuss the proposal.
During the last session, Republicans voiced concerns about raiding the Alabama Trust Fund.
"Next week someone else will come up with a great reason to hit the oil and gas trust fund," said Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, at the time.
Barron said in March, when the bill died, that his Republican colleagues voted against progress, jobs and improved roads and bridges.
He said Wednesday that he thought he had the votes, but will work to create bipartisan support.
The bill, Barron said, would help create jobs, and would improve roads and safety in the state. Subsequently, he said, improved infrastructure helps attract industry to the state.
Barron said the trust fund is a rainy day account and he does not see a more appropriate time to use it.
Little said about a fifth of the population in Alabama is unemployed or underemployed.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Barron introduces new ban on no-bid contracts

After criticism from the office of Gov. Bob Riley about Democrats exempting the legislative branch from a bill that would ban no-bid contracts, Sen. Lowell Barron introduced what he said was a corrected version on Wednesday.
Barron, chairman of the committee that decides which bills come to the Senate floor for consideration, said he always intended to stop all agencies from using no-bid contracts.
He said the majority of the no-bid contracts, including a recent multi-million-dollar computer consulting contract, go through the executive branch, but his bill would ensure all agencies are included.
Currently, Alabama does not have a law that prohibits no-bid contracts. Barron's legislation would prohibit no-bid contracts of more than $7,500 with an exception for emergencies.
Any contract with the state of Alabama in an amount in excess of $7,500 shall be competitively bid and open to the general public after a reasonable and prudent period of advertising on a central electronic site maintained by the state," according to the proposal. "Such contracts shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.
"Any contract entered into without complying with the lowest competitively bid requirement shall be null and void, and the state may not honor any no-bid contract which fails to comply with this section."
Barron's first version stated that any contract entered into by the executive branch in any other manner would be null and void, drawing criticism from Riley's office. The legislation did not mention any other branch of government.
Riley's press secretary, Todd Stacy, said Friday that he might believe the error if the Democrats did not have a history of writing themselves out of accountability bills.
Barron said it was always his intention to prohibit no-bid contracts by all agencies, but there was a mistake in drafting the legislation. He said on Friday that he did not catch the language that only specified the executive branch and vowed to change the legislation to ensure it applied to all state agencies.
Stacy, on Friday, questioned why the bill even mentioned the executive branch if it was intended to ban no-bid contracts from all branches.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

DPS chief: Cuts could lead to increased lines at drivers license bureaus

The head of public safety in Alabama said he would have to cut personnel, including those working in the drivers license division, if funding is cut to the department.
Col. Chris Murphy, director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety, said highway safety is his top priority. He said fatalities have been reduced by more than 30 percent in three years.
If there are cuts to the budget, Murphy said he would need to cut other divisions and pull personnel from there to work Alabama highways.
"Other services will fall," he said.

Murphy said the department needs an additional $11 million to maintain services at the current level.

He said moving troopers out of drivers license bureaus and onto the highways could increase the waiting time at those offices to four, six or eight hours. Murphy said he expects cuts to personnel if the department does not receive the $11 million in additional funding requested from the Legislature for the 2011 fiscal year. He said the department is not purchasing new vehicles and has cut out of state travel.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

State prisons to be $15 million short this year

Prison Commissioner Richard Allen said he needs $15 million just to make it through the current fiscal year, which started in October.
"We are $15 million short with no way for me to affect it without closing prisons or laying off, which no one wants me to do," he told legislators on Tuesday during a budget hearing.
Allen and other agency heads are submitting their budget requests this week to state lawmakers.
He requested a budget of $475 million for the 2011 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, 2010.
The corrections budget request would include $439.2 million from the General Fund.
The Legislative Fiscal Office expects a more than $600 million hole in the General Fund budget, which is the source of the majority of funding for state prisons, Medicaid, state troopers and most other non-education functions.
Lawmakers are concerned about how they will replace the $118.5 million in federal stimulus funds that are being used this year to hold up the corrections department.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Knight predicts Riley will need to declare proration

The chairman of a state budget committee said he expects there will be a need for Gov. Bob Riley to declare proration in the state's $2 billion General Fund budget this fiscal year.
"Unless something drastically turns around, the governor is going to have to declare proration," said state Rep. John Knight, chairman of the House General Fund budget committee.
He said revenue projections are below expectations and he would advise Riley to declare proration as soon as possible.
Knight, D-Montgomery, said he did not want to project revenues, but said they will likely be below $1.7 billion.
Some agencies, including corrections and Medicaid, have no cushion for cuts, he said.
His goal, he said, is to "avoid layoffs any way we possibly can." The state has been able to avoid layoffs and more massive cuts because of the $3 billion in federal stimulus money that has come into the state.
Knight and House Speaker Seth Hammett, D-Andalusia, spoke Wednesday at a meeting of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Realtors endorse Bradley Byrne for governor in 2010

The Alabama Association of Realtors has endorsed Republican Bradley Byrne for governor.
Many people have expected Byrne to receive the support of business interests such as Realtors.
"Byrne is the only candidate who has a consistent and open public record of being a watchdog for education funding and accountability in educational programs," according to a statement from the association. "He possesses the charisma to promote Alabama to those who are looking for a place to locate their company. Byrne will be the most competitive governor in our region in recruiting and bringing new jobs to Alabama."
AAR President Keith Kelley said "With the difficult economic times and the major budgeting concerns facing the state in the coming years, Alabama needs a governor that has proven he can make the difficult decisions that are in the best interest of all Alabamians and Bradley Byrne has proven he is that person."
The association has more than 15,000 members and promotes home ownership and private property rights.
"After weeks and months of evaluating and reviewing the background, records and platforms of candidates for governor, ARPAC Trustees and the AAR executive committee voted unanimously to endorse Bradley Byrne for governor of Alabama," according to the association's release.
Previous AAR endorsees include Govs. Bob Riley and Fob James, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, and U.S. Reps. Spencer Bachus, Terry Everett, Robert Aderholt, Bud Cramer, Mike Rogers, Jo Bonner and Parker Griffith.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

More pictures of country music star John Rich performing to raise money for Tim James

Country star John Rich performed at a Montgomery fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Tim James on Tuesday. He played five songs to hundreds crowded into the home in the Cloverdale neighborhood. Those in attendance included James' father, former Gov. Fob James (middle picture).

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Country star John Rich sings to support Tim James

Country music star John Rich is highly opinionated and highly involved in Republican politics, but Tuesday was the first time he traveled into another state to become involved in politics that did not directly affect him.
"This is different for me because I don't live here," he said.
Rich, a solo artist, songwriter, producer and half of the music duo Big & Rich, performed at a private fundraiser for Tim James, a Republican candidate for governor. He played five songs in the packed Cloverdale house of Tami and Stinson Slawson.
Rich, a Texas native who lives in Nashville, said he met with James, who he said has what people in entertainment call the "X factor," an intangible quality that people cannot pinpoint.
"You just know it's real," he said. "When I met with Tim James, he had that. ... If I lived in Alabama, I'd want him to be my governor."
While he does not live in Alabama, Rich said people should support great leaders regardless of where they live.
The star said he appreciates James' backbone, believing he would stand up for values and against mandates from Washington.
"You stand for what I stand for," Rich said to James before playing.
Rich played five songs, beginning with Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" and ending with "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," which he played for the children sitting on their knees watching him play. He also played his own hits, "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" and "Lost in this Moment."
He played his acoustic guitar, with rhinestones and his lifetime National Rifle Association membership sticker on it, and sang as he stood next to a towering Christmas tree.
James, who lost in the Republican primary for governor in 2002, had other special guests at the event, his parents. Former Gov. Fob James and his wife, Bobbie, stood feet from Rich and listened to him perform.
Tickets to attend the fundraiser were $125 a person. Members of the host committee paid $500 each. There were more than 100 people on the host committee.
When asked how many people were there, James said "hundreds."
Many notable people attended the fundraiser including former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Perry Hooper, Sr.
James said the country is in a recession, but fundraising is going well and his campaign will be ready to go in 2010.
Rich and James agree the 2010 election is crucial.
"The 2010 election cycle is the most important election cycle in the history of this country," James said.
He encouraged the crowd to elect conservatives from "top to bottom."
Rich, between songs, criticized the administration of President Barack Obama. He was a vocal supporter of U.S. Sen. John McCain, who lost to Obama a year ago.
James said Rich is a patriot, a friend and a supporter. He said Rich using his star power to help his candidacy is humbling.
James, a Greenville businessman, said some people have questioned his sanity during his campaign. For more than a generation, "good people didn't get involved," he said.
People, James said, need to stand up and get involved or the nation will "go the way of Europe and Rome."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Senate Democrats slam Riley, Hubbard

Top Senate Democrats slammed Gov. Bob Riley on Tuesday, calling him the "King of No Bid Contracts," as they proposed measures to eliminate most of the no-bid deals.
They criticized the administration's use of no bid contracts and called on state Rep. Mike Hubbard, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, to disclose who receives his allotment of tickets, parking passes and suites at Auburn football games.
Senate Majority Leader Zeb Little and Sens. Lowell Barron and Hank Sanders said they would support legislation to improve the contract process in the state in the wake of Riley signing an amendment to bring a no-bid computer consulting contract up to almost $13 million.
"Governor Riley has gotten out of hand with no bid contracts," said Sanders, D-Selma.
They said $2.6 billion in no-bid contracts have been awarded during the seven years of the Riley administration, which they said was hypocritical since the governor criticized the previous administration for no-bid contracts when he was running in 2002.
Some of the agencies responsible for the $2.6 billion in contracts, including the Legislature, are not under the control of Riley and his cabinet.
Barron, D-Fyffe, introduced legislation on Tuesday that he said would create more transparency and save the state tens of millions of dollars through the bid process. He said, except for emergency situations, all contracts would have to go through a bid process.
"If a state agency or a government official believes there should be exceptions, let them come forward and make their case to the people of Alabama," Barron said.
Todd Stacy, press secretary for Riley, said the governor has brought more accountability to the contract process than ever before.
"If the Democrats want to pass a bill to ban all no-bid contracts. Fine. The governor will sign it," he said. "But we will be watching very closely to see if they actually do it. They have an unblemished record of breaking promises at every turn when it comes to ethics."
Riley criticized former Gov. Don Siegelman and his use of no-bid contracts when running for the office in 2002.
"When you give out a billion dollars in no-bid contracts, it is either the most corrupt government or the most mismanaged government in the last 25 years," Riley said during his successful campaign to unseat Siegelman.
Stacy said Riley, unlike the previous administration, has not handed out no-bid contracts to friends, which he said the Democrats continue to do.
Some Senate Democrats have hired lawyers, consultants and even people to work in their districts through no-bid contracts.
Barron said the thousands spent by the Democrats is small compared to the billions authorized by the administration, but that his legislation would stop all of it.
Alabama receives hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government for projects, especially for transportation, and federal law does not require bids on some of those projects.
Stacy said the administration does use a bid process for professional services. He said the legal office calls three firms for quotes when the administration is in need of legal representation.
The office does not send out packets with requests for proposals or information requesting bids from law firms from throughout the state.
Stacy said the process is competitive and the office does receive bids from law firms.
"We take three bids and take the lowest one that is actually qualified to do the work," he said.
Democrats have also proposed legislation that would increase the 45 days the contract review committee can hold up a contract to 90 days.
"Forty five days is not enough," Sanders said.
Sanders said that if the state is not going out for bids, many small businesses are excluded from doing business with the state.
Hubbard, a Republican who represents Auburn in the House of Representatives, receives the football tickets through his private business, the Auburn Network, which pays for the rights to broadcast games. In return for paying for those rights, he receives an allotment of about 550 tickets and 100 parking spots and use of three suites.
Philip Bryan, communications director for the Alabama Republican Party, said Hubbard and the Auburn Network "are not given anything for free — this business transaction includes not one dime of taxpayer money."
"A good comparison would be a regular season ticket holder who pays Auburn for season tickets and also gets a gameday program included in that package. Just on a larger monetary scale," Bryan said.
The Democrats said people should know who is receiving some of the most popular tickets in the state, especially as Hubbard goes throughout the state asking people to contribute to Campaign 2010, the Republicans' effort to take control of the Legislature from Democrats.
"The tickets that the Auburn Network receives as a part of the payment to Auburn University is in no way, shape or form associated with Campaign 2010," Bryan said. "The tickets are given through Auburn Network, not Mike, to the advertisers and sponsors of the Auburn Network and its radio programs — just like every other major university in the country."
The members of the Democratic Caucus said Hubbard should be more forthcoming since he and Riley are calling for more openness and transparency. Little said Auburn is a public university and Hubbard is a public official.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Old School v. New School: Reed and Davis

U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, a Democratic candidate for governor, says Alabama Education Association Associate Executive Secretary and Alabama Democratic Conference Chairman Joe Reed is "wrong on race and leadership, again."

That was Davis' response to a column Reed wrote in the Dec. 7 edition of the Alabama School Journal."

In the column http://www.myaea.org/PDFfile/ASJ/ASJDec72009.pdf Reed criticized all of Alabama's Democratic congressmen for voting against the House version of President Obama's health care reform bill, writing "I don't know how they can fix their mouths, wag their toungues and stare voters like June Bug, Big Man, Bubba and Cooter in the face and ask them to vote for them." (This sentence prompted the Alabama GOP to ask if the aforementioned were friends of Reed's or was he stereotyping Alabamians.)

But Reed saved his harshest criticism for Davis, who represents the very diverse Seventh Congressional District. Reed wrote of Davis, "His congressional district is blacker than any congressional district in the state and poorer than any congressional district in the state, yet he was the only black congressman in the nation to oppose Obama's health care plan. Every other member in the Congressional Black Caucus voted for it."

Davis has already been criticized nationally by civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Jackson later backed away from his statements about Davis. On Monday, Davis responded to Reed's comments with the following statement:

“Joe Reed and I have a policy-based difference over whether HR 3962 is the best way to mend our country’s inequitable and costly health care system. Unlike Dr. Reed, I believe we can do better than an approach that could cause numerous Alabama employers to reduce their payroll or walk away from offering coverage to their employees.

"We have a much more profound difference over race and leadership. Reed believes that a public official’s race matters more than his capacity for independent judgment. He believes that a black American who holds elected office must follow a certain path or be inauthentic. Dr. Reed also believes in a shameless double standard: when his candidate for governor, Ron Sparks, denounced the House health care bill in August and refused to say whether he would even enforce a public option as governor as recently as October, Reed’s response was not outrage but silence.

"On all of this, Joe Reed is wrong. Just as he was wrong to fight to overturn the results of a legislative race in 2006 because the winner was white, and in Reed’s opinion, the wrong color for her district; just as he was wrong to stand on the floor of the Democratic convention in Denver to oppose Barack Obama even though the race was over and Hilary Clinton had graciously conceded. Just as he was wrong to urge black Alabamians to reject Barack Obama during the 2008 primary on the flimsy ground that they should appreciate America was not ready for a black President.

"I said on the night I won my congressional seat in 2002 that I would not determine my viewpoints and obligations based on race. I also vigorously reject the insinuation that there is a uniquely 'black' way of understanding an issue, and I strongly suspect that most Alabamians will as well.

"Joe Reed’s forty-two year career of public service contains much good. But his injection of race into a serious debate over public policy should offend black and white Alabamians alike, and I hope Ron Sparks will join me in denouncing such a divisive approach.”

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Bentley to Announce Economic Development Plan

Dr. Robert J. Bentley, state legislator and a 2010 Republican candidate for governor, will announce his plan for economic development at 1 p.m. today.

Bentley said in a news release that the plan is called “Putting Alabamians Back to Work.”

“Alabamians have been hit with an unemployment rate of nearly 11% and in 2010 our state will be require the leadership of an individual with extensive experience in the private sector and a comprehensive understanding of state government," Bentley said in the new release. “The role of government is to create an environment through which the private sector puts people back to work.”

Bentley is a founding partner of Alabama Dermatology Associates, the largest dermatology practice in the Southeast. In 2002, he was elected to the Alabama State House of Representatives from Tuscaloosa County with over 60 percent of the vote.

In 2008, Dr. Bentley served as one of two representatives from Alabama on the Republican National Committee’s Platform Committee and was elected as a Presidential Delegate for Governor Mike Huckabee, who won the Alabama Republican Presidential Primary election.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

AEA Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Merger

Hundreds of educators from around the state are gathering at the Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center Friday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the successful merger of the formerly all white Alabama Education Association and the all black Alabama State Teachers Association.

Forty years ago this month the AEA voluntarily merged with ASTA to form what has become one of the state's most powerful organizations.

The merger between the two groups was the most successful integration in the region, and is the reason why Alabama has by far the largest education association in the Old South, with the exception of Florida, according to a press release from AEA.

AEA leaders Paul Hubbert and Joe Reed, who jointly orchestrated the merger and continue to share leadership of the merged organization, will be honored at the event for their service. Four decades of photos chronicling the history of the organization also will be on display.

-- posted by Markeshia Ricks

Ivey hosts town hall on PACT program

With little notice, Republican gubernatorial candidate and state Treasurer Kay Ivey held a telephone town hall on Wednesday that had more than 8,500 people participate.

The town hall was also the first time the technology has been used statewide, according to her campaign.
Some members of Congress, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright of Montgomery, use the telephone town halls regularly to reach people within their district.
Ivey talked about her plan to try to rescue the state’s Prepaid Affordable College Tuition or PACT program. More than 60 percent of the people who voted during the call supported Ivey's plan, which would honor all of the PACT contracts without raiding the Alabama Trust Fund or increasing taxes.
Five percent said they opposed her plan and 35 percent were uncertain. The campaign acknowledged the results were unscientific and were only from call participants.
The candidate said people want more information and are looking for a viable plan.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen