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Bill Britt

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Bill Britt

Bill Britt is editor-in-chief at the Alabama Political Reporter and host of The Voice of Alabama Politics. You can email him at [email protected].

News

Some Paragon Players Bring STAARS to State Finance

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—What does a $13 million no-bid software contract have to do with the STAARS $47 million no-bid contract? Many of the same people who championed and worked on the 2009 Paragon Source debacle are the same ones responsible for the STAARS system, which has caused tens of thousands of … Continued
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December 22, 2015

Bentley Administration Doubles Down on STAARS: Spin or Cover-up?

By Bill Britt and Susan Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—Late Friday evening, Gov. Robert Bentley’s administration published a lengthy press release announcing the “re-launch” of Open Alabama, and defending the $47 million STAARS software program. The carefully parsed statement from the Governor’s office was particularly nuanced and did not directly address the concerns that State … Continued
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December 21, 2015

Finance Director Threatens State Employees Who Speak with Media

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—Acting Finance Director Bill Newton warned department heads to inform State personnel not to speak to the media, and report any contact to him immediately, or else. On Thursday afternoon, Dec. 8, alreporter.com published an investigative report chronicling the failing implementation of the accounting software known as STAARS—the story … Continued
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December 21, 2015

Trial Judge Quashes Hubbard Motion

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—On Wednesday, Judge Jacob Walker, III ruled that Speaker Mike Hubbard had improperly handled a subpoena and ordered the information sealed. He also added that the information was not relevant to the case. Court filings state the defense improperly used subpoenas by disregarding Rule 17.3, to gather documents, records … Continued
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December 18, 2015
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A Failure of Leadership

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter The State Department of Finance has been in full spin-mode since it was revealed that their $47 million dollar “failure-to-pay” STAARS software system is a disaster. Director Bill Newton and his assistant Rex McDowell, who tried to hide the debacle by closing Open Alabama Checkbook, are culpable for the … Continued
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December 17, 2015

Hubbard, Criminal Lawyers Caught Cheating

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—New court documents in Speaker Mike Hubbard’s criminal case reveal, that he and his attorney have been improperly using subpoenas, by disregarding Rule 17.3, to gather documents, records and interviews. (SEE MOTION.) Rule 17.3. Subpoena duces tecum, reads as follows: (a) PRODUCTION OF BOOKS, PAPERS, ETC. A subpoena may … Continued
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December 16, 2015

Finance Spending Millions Per Year on New Time and Attendance System

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—Not only has the State Department of Finance spent $47 million on this “failure-to-pay” software at the insistence of Director Bill Newton and his assistant Rex McDowell, but over the last two fiscal years, the State has spend nearly $8 million for an employee time log-in system, which just … Continued
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December 15, 2015

Assistant Finance Director Calls Texas Home

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY— Assistant Finance Director Rex McDowell, who has been closely associated with recent questionable State software upgrades, calls Texas home, where he owns SoftSwitch Communications, Inc., a company that offers fully integrated, hosted communications solutions, as reported by Bob Lowry in 2011. According to Lowry’s report, McDowell, a Montgomery … Continued
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December 15, 2015

Financial Software System Still Failing Despite Spin

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter The State Finance Department’s failed implementation of a $47 million dollar software solution has led to tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills, thousands of angry vendors, and frayed nerves, throughout almost every State agency, yet, it is still being dismissed by those responsible for the debacle as … Continued
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December 14, 2015

Letter Exchange Seems to Clear Opening for VictoryLand

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—A letter exchange between Gov. Robert Bentley, Macon County District Attorney E. Paul Jones, and Sheriff Andre’ Brunson seems to clear a path for the reopening of VictoryLand. It also serves as an assurance to those companies supplying bingo machines, that the State will not confiscate them as in … Continued
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December 14, 2015