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A straight lottery is great for the Poarch Creeks, not so great for the rest of Alabama

In Michigan in 2017, the state’s 19 tribal casinos contributed roughly $97 million worth of their profits to state and local government entities — their end of tribal-state gaming compacts. Also in 2017, just three commercial casinos in Detroit sent nearly $300 million to state and local coffers — their end of standard taxes applied … Continued

February 26, 2019

Online sales tax collection: What does this really mean for Alabama’s municipalities?

The steady increase in online sales over the past decade has triggered an alarming shift in consumer purchasing habits from shopping at local brick and mortar establishments (which support community-owned businesses) to buying via remote sellers. The significant decrease in local sales and use tax collections make it more difficult for Alabama’s municipalities to provide basic … Continued

January 23, 2019

Leader or follower: The two sentence fig leaf test

After the 2018 election, constitutionally we seated newly elected and re-elected officials at the local, state and national level. You can always KNOW when a politician is dealing with a very hot political issue with two key sentences: Let the People Vote and I am personally opposed, But! This is a true litmus test for … Continued

January 9, 2019

As lawmakers consider new gas tax, Alabama remains last in per capita state, local tax collection

As state lawmakers prepare to consider a gas tax increase during the next legislative session, a new report from the Public Affairs Research Council shows Alabama’s state and local governments collect less in taxes per capita than any other state in the country. Alabama has been behind in tax collection since the early 1990s, according … Continued

December 12, 2018

Role model statesmanship showcased in the public square

Americans got their fair share of hand to hand combat politics in the 2018 general election, which is still going on in Georgia and Florida. As we approach Thanksgiving; there is a national story buried in the heart and soul of Crenshaw County Alabama politics that needs to be shared. In a county that voted … Continued

November 16, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Primary political potpourri

Now that the dust has settled on the primaries, allow me to share with you some thoughts on the Alabama political stage. There is an old saying that says the more things change, the more they stay the same. This old adage is true in Alabama politics. First of all, “All politics is local.” In the … Continued

August 9, 2018

Annual reminder: Alabama is last in state, local tax collection

Here’s an annual reminder for you as you decompress from filing your tax returns: Alabama’s state and local governments are collecting less in state and local taxes than any other state in the United States. Good right? Maybe. Maybe not. As Tax Day — and an extended deadline caused by web portal outages — pass, … Continued

April 19, 2018

Beware the Ides of March

Beware the Ides of March, warned the seer to Julius Caesar, but Caesar didn’t, and the Roman emperor was reportedly assassinated on March 15, 44 BC. On this Ides of March, there are other warnings going out, not for a literal assassination but, perhaps, massive political consequences. Politicians on all levels – federal, state, and … Continued

March 15, 2018

Honor Veterans in Your Hometown

By U.S Rep. Martha Roby In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, the armistice ending World War I was signed. Originally known as Armistice Day, Congress later passed and President Dwight Eisenhower signed a resolution officially designating November 11 as Veterans Day. Now, every year, … Continued

November 6, 2017

Allegations of rape, details of a tragic night

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter A young woman takes her life, a family suffers an unthinkable loss, and the media tells a story both sad and horrifyingly villainous. But what are the facts? Local, national and international reports of University of Alabama co-ed Megan Rondini’s alleged rape and suicide by hanging seven months after … Continued

August 21, 2017