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Cullman-based Guard unit wrapping up work in Persian Gulf
The Birmingham News, Monday, May 12, 2008, TOM GORDON News staff writer
An Alabama Army National Guard unit that has spent the past eight months on convoy protection missions in Iraq is due back in the United States next weekend.
More than 150 members of Cullman-based Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry Regiment, are slated to arrive May 18 at Camp Shelby, Miss., then head to Cullman a few days later, said Gina Fulmer, wife of a battalion member, Sgt. Joseph Fulmer of Argo.
Charlie Company has been based at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, since September, and its soldiers have traveled more than a million miles throughout Iraq, guarding 18-wheel supply trucks heading to and from U.S. military installations.
Editor's Note -- Welcome Home!
>> Read more...
Alabama Senate rejects tax plan to cut state sales tax on food and raise income taxes on wealthy
The Birmingham News, Friday, May 09, 2008, DAVID WHITE News staff writer
MONTGOMERY - The state Senate on Thursday refused to pass a plan to let voters remove the state sales tax on groceries while raising state income taxes on many upper-income people, but supporters said they'll try to get it passed on the last day of the session.
The Senate voted 20-11, with three abstentions, to fully debate the tax plan, just short of the three-fifths majority required to pass the procedural motion.
All 20 senators voting to fully debate the plan were Democrats. All 11 senators voting not to were Republicans. Two Democrats and one Republican abstained. One Republican was absent.
Editor's Note -- Keep in mind that this is really a "redistribution" of the tax burden, not a tax cut. The Alabama Education Association teachers lobby would never allow the Democratic Party to actually cut taxes. So the small businesses that employ 90% of all people in this country would pay more taxes. And they would then pass this expense down to their customers.
Why, because the Democrats in this state want to look good in an election year and they figure they would like the so-called 60% who save money to vote for them. But when you look a little closer at this you begin to see the fallacy of the argument. The small businesses (as well as some larger ones) have to stay competitive so they may not be able to pass this down to their customers. So what happens next? They either hire fewer employees, or are able to provide fewer benefits for their employees. Ann Coulter really says it best in the title of her last book, “If Democrats had brains, they would be Republicans.
>> Read more...
William Langston Jr., son of former Fire College director, pleads guilty to receiving bogus contract in connection with two-year college investigation - Admits he got $66,000 in no-show job contract
The Birmingham News, Friday, May 09, 2008, BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE News staff writer
GADSDEN - The son of the former Alabama Fire College director pleaded guilty Thursday to receiving $66,000 for work not done at Gadsden State Community College, a no-show job that prosecutors said followed a similar bogus Jefferson State Community College contract.
William Langston Jr., son of W.L. Langston, told U.S. District Court Judge U.W. Clemon during a court hearing that from November 2002 to September 2004, he received payments from Gadsden State through a contract his father arranged.
The younger Langston, who lived near Montgomery, told Clemon the contract was set up for him to be available for legislative monitoring, which included watching television programs, clipping newspapers and being available for the college to use. He told the judge he wanted to plead guilty to a conspiracy count and two counts of mail fraud.
>> Read more...
Alabama House panel passes bill to restrict certain public benefits for immigrants 19 and older
The Birmingham News, Thursday, May 08, 2008, DAVID WHITE News staff writer
MONTGOMERY - A plan that could bar illegal immigrants 19 or older from getting some public benefits cleared a legislative panel Wednesday.
Anyone 19 or older would have to prove he or she was lawfully in this country before getting some public benefits from a city, county or state agency. Those benefits would include welfare, public housing, unemployment compensation and in-state college tuition, bill supporters say. But people would not have to prove their legal status to receive emergency medical assistance, short-term disaster relief, many public health services, pre-natal care or community assistance needed to preserve a person's life or safety, the bill states. Also, state or local officials could not deny any other benefits allowed by federal law without proof of a person's legal presence in this country.
The Senate last week passed the plan, Senate Bill 226 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and the Judiciary Committee of the state House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a revised version.
>> Read more...
House OKs tax break for stimulus checks - Taxpayers would save $57 million
The Birmingham News, Wednesday, May 07, 2008, KIM CHANDLER News staff writer
MONTGOMERY - The House of Representatives voted 101-0 Tuesday to exempt federal stimulus checks taxpayers will get this spring from state income taxes.
"This bill provides an opportunity for us to give the citizens of Alabama a form of tax relief," said Rep. Terry Spicer, D-Elba, its sponsor.
The savings would be small - up to $30 for individuals and up to $90 for a couple with two children. However, Spicer said even a small amount could be helpful. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate.
Editor's Note -- If you're a Democrat, the headline will make you happy. Unfortunately however, the rest of the citizens in Alabama (who will read the rest of the article)will know that this is simply the way Democrats in this state push their Socialistic agenda.
Let me read between the lines for you, where do most Americans work, at your local small business, who does this bill hurt, small business. Why, because the Democrats are in the posket of the Alabama Education Association.
>> Read more...
Some Jefferson County residents react with anger to fee on non-users of sewer system
The Birmingham News, Tuesday, May 06, 2008, BARNETT WRIGHT News staff writer
More than 100 residents and two members of the Jefferson County Commission on Monday voiced opposition to a proposal to set a non-user fee for the 105,000 households that are not tied into the county sewer system.
Insurers backing the county's troubled sewer bonds say their proposal is similar to one in Mobile County, where a charge is assessed to residents not tied to the sewer system.
The Alabama Supreme Court ruled in a 1995 case that the Mobile Board of Water and Sewer could impose a monthly fee on non-users of that sewer system to provide revenue necessary to operate the board's system.
Editor's Note -- The good people of Alabaster in Northern Shelby County have been paying for sewer service (based on their water bill) whether they are connected or not for years. This is just one more area of life for big government to tax.
If you keep voting these people back into office..., well you figure it out.
>> Read more...
Subpoenas seek investment records in Alabama two-year college investigation
The Birmingham News, Saturday, May 03, 2008, CHARLES J. DEAN News staff writer
Another round of federal subpoenas have gone out to the state's two-year college system, this time seeking records and other documents relating to former Vice Chancellor Debra Dahl. In addition, the subpoenas seek records and other documents pertaining to business the system has done with Merchant Capital. That's a Montgomery investment banking business where Dahl's brother is an officer and that made more than $1 million in fees from bond business with the system while Dahl was its top financial official. Other subpoenas seek records and information related to Al Cox, a close friend of Dahl's and commissioner of the Alabama Community College Conference, the athletic organization for the two-year system.
Editor's Note -- This issue has been like the battery operating bunny from the TV commercial. It just keeps going and going...
>> Read more...
SEC lawsuit says Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford took money from bond dealer
The Birmingham News, Thursday, May 01, 2008, BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE News staff writer
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford arranged $6.7 million in Jefferson County financial business for a Montgomery investment banker who gave him $156,000 to pay a personal loan, income taxes, and clothing and jewelry bills, a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday states.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed the civil action in Birmingham federal court against Langford, Montgomery banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre. The lawsuit also names Blount's firm, Blount Parrish & Co.
The SEC accuses Blount of using LaPierre to pass money to Langford and says Blount paid LaPierre $219,500 for his help. The three men, all friends for at least two decades, never told others in county government or investors in county financial deals about the payments to Langford, according to the lawsuit.
>> Read more...
Alabama Senate votes to require those 19 and older prove they are in U.S. legally to obtain public services
The Birmingham News, Thursday, May 01, 2008, DAVID WHITE News staff writer
MONTGOMERY - Anyone 19 or older would have to prove he or she is in this country legally before obtaining welfare, public housing, unemployment compensation and other public benefits from a city, county or state agency in Alabama, under a bill passed by the state Senate on Wednesday.
There would be exceptions. Proof would not be required to receive emergency medical assistance, short-term disaster relief or prenatal care, for instance.
The Senate voted 33-0 for the proposed law, which now goes to the state House of Representatives for debate.
>> Read more...
Several state senators accuse Lt. Gov. Folsom of breaking law by stopping debate on electronic bingo machines
The Birmingham News, Wednesday, April 30, 2008,DAVID WHITE News staff writer
MONTGOMERY - Several senators accused Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr. of breaking the law Tuesday when he allowed, over objections, a voice vote by senators that stopped debate on a bill about electronic bingo machines at a dog track in Macon County.
But other senators praised Folsom for breaking a logjam that had stalled the Senate since April 1. The Senate for nine straight meeting days had done little but argue over the proposed law, Senate Bill 191.
Folsom, who presides over Senate debate, told senators it was time to move on and discuss next year's state budgets and other issues.
Editor's Note -- I applaud Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr for his actions. The Alabama legislature has for too long done nothing because it feels no one is watching them. We need to send them a message in November. Do your job for the people of this state or get out!
>> Read more...
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