Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin proposes largest budget in city’s history
The mayor's proposed budget includes more than $14 million toward neighborhood revitalization efforts.
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See recent postsAlabama’s budget year begins this week. COVID-19 has played havoc
The coronavirus pandemic has left a half billion dollar cut to Alabama’s state budgets for the upcoming year, but the debacle has decimated other states much worse than Alabama.
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See recent postsYou get what you pay for
State lawmakers will return to Montgomery on Tuesday, February 4th and education will be one of the primary issues they will be taking on. Lawmakers expect an increase in both the Education and General Fund budgets for the coming year, and that means more resources available to address the issues facing our public schools. One … Continued
Alabama sees another strong year of growth in tax collections
Alabama saw another year of strong growth in tax revenues in the last fiscal year, according to the state’s financial reports. The economy produced another year of growing tax collections for the state’s General Fund and the Education Trust Fund (ETF), the two main accounts that provide state funding for government operations. Strong growth in … Continued
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See recent postsAlabama Senate is rotten at the top
There is something terribly wrong when two influential senators can lie, cheat and defraud the people without retribution. As the Scottish novelist Walter Scott wrote over 200 years ago, “O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!” During the last Legislative Session, Republican State Sens. Greg Albritton and Arthur Orr … Continued
Senate Committee approves bonus for retired state employees
The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee gave a favorable report Wednesday to Senate Bill 206, which would give a one-time bonus to retired state workers. SB206 is sponsored by state Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster. Ward said that under his bill each retired state employee would receive $24 per year of service in a … Continued
House passes general fund budget, 2 percent state employee pay increase
The Alabama House of Representatives passed the state general fund budget, HB152, on Tuesday. HB152 is sponsored by House Ways and Means Chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark. HB152 passed 103 to 0. The House also passed HB166, sponsored by the late Rep. Dimitri Polizos, R-Montgomery, to give state employees a 2 percent cost of living allowance. … Continued
McCutcheon announces emergency task force in response to DOJ prison report
House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, said the state is creating an emergency task force to address the U.S. Department of Justice’s report alleging violence and a callous acceptance of prisoner-on-prisoner violence by the Alabama Department of Corrections. The U.S. Department of Justice is threatening to sue the state if it does not address the findings … Continued
House Committee passes General Fund budget
The House Ways and Means General Fund committee voted to give a favorable report to the state General Fund budget Wednesday. Chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, said that he thought that the full House could be considering the budget as early as Tuesday. Alabama has two separate budgets, with revenues earmarked for each one. The Education … Continued
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See recent postsThe case for state control of alcoholic beverages
It’s that time of year again. The Alabama Legislature is only days from its opening session, and lawmakers across the state are drafting bills they say will make Alabama better. As in years past, some special interest groups – big-box retailers and liquor distributors – are pushing again to privatize liquor sales in Alabama. By … Continued