Recent editorials from Alabama newspapers:
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March 17
Dothan Eagle on same-sex marriage:
Last year’s federal court action that cleared the way for same-sex marriage in Alabama caused quite a stir across the state, suspending the marriage business for everyone in several counties - including Houston County - as probate judges stopped issuing licenses altogether. Part of the problem was conflicting orders from the federal court and Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. Some probate judges simply said same-sex marriage was anathema because of their religious beliefs.
Eventually, following a U.S. Supreme Court action, the controversy subsided and most probate offices began issuing licenses again. Courthouse weddings, however, are rare these days, as many probate judges point to working in state law that allows them to conduct marriage ceremonies, but does not require it.
This week, the Alabama Legislature took up a measure that could be called The Probate Judge Protection Act, as it eliminates marriage licenses altogether, and simply requires couples who are wed - regardless of gender - to fill out a form recording their marriage with the probate court.
The Alabama Senate approved the measure 23-3, voting to do away with state-issued marriage. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, said he was “trying to find a way to solve the problem.”
It’s a good solution if it makes the process more efficient for Alabamians who want to marry and doesn’t have a negative impact on the economics of the probate office.
If that’s the case, why wasn’t it done long before same-sex marriage became an issue?
Online:
https://www.dothaneagle.com/
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March 17
The Gadsden Times on Gov. Bentley’s salary hikes for cabinet:
We’ve praised Gov. Robert Bentley when he’s earned it and criticized him when he’s deserved it, but we’ve never commented on his musical skills.
There’s a first time for everything, though, given that Bentley has just proved himself to be as tone deaf as someone trying to play the Z-sharp augmented pentatonic scale on a kazoo. (Hold your fire, music majors; we’re aware there’s no such scale.)
A political blog this week reported that the governor has raised the salaries of his Cabinet members and staff, something the Legislature authorized him to do last year by tossing out existing salary caps in favor of a scale set by the Alabama Department of Personnel.
Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, authored the bill that was designed to prevent governors from using various contortions to get around the caps that everyone agreed were outdated. He has said the intention was that folks would get some incremental raises at the lower end of the new scale.
Bentley apparently was tuned to a different frequency, however, because he didn’t get the message.
Specifically, he hiked the salaries of four Cabinet members - Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Director Jim Byard, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Administrator Mac Gipson, Revenue Commissioner Julie Magee and Insurance Commissioner Jim Ridling - by more than $70,000 apiece, to about $164,000.
The reaction outside the governor’s office has been predictable - lots of anger and noise.
Orr has called the raises “indefensible … outrageous … out of kilter.”
Bentley remains unapologetic, saying they will allow “state government to be competitive with the private sector in getting highly qualified people to run important state agencies that provide vital services to our citizens.”
He’s right in a broad sense. The axiom “you get what you pay for” is true, and unless some selfless, civic-minded acolytes of Cincinnatus unexpectedly materialize, it’s likely to take cash to lure a state’s best and brightest into the public sector.
It’s just hard to have a broad focus - or swallow these 80 percent salary increases - when Alabama is again struggling to balance its General Fund budget and faces further cuts in those “vital services” Bentley is touting to accomplish that, and rank-and-file state employees haven’t had a raise in years.
The governor has gone off-key before, such as when he tried to shut down driver’s license offices in poor and primarily African-American counties. He seemed dumbfounded by the furor that caused and the fact that it was viewed as a racial issue (because of Alabama’s voter ID law and concerns that it would depress voter turnout by making it difficult for people to get state IDs).
Bentley backed off there, but we’ll be surprised if he takes money out of people’s pockets in this equally cacophonous situation.
Besides, Orr and his fellow legislators also bear blame for leaving such leeway in the new salary scale, instead of setting defined points on it to keep governors from going wild with the taxpayers’ money.
We doubt there’s time to address this legislatively in the present session - and Bentley isn’t likely to include such matters in his call for what appears to be an inevitable special session (or two) - but it needs to be revisited. Unless you think politicians can be trusted with what amounts to a blank check (we don’t).
Online:
https://www.gadsdentimes.com
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March 21
The Cullman Times on gas tax:
Alabama’s budget problems appear to have no end in sight, but that doesn’t diminish or excuse the need to fund services for the public.
With the unwillingness of most lawmakers to even explore stripping the two-budget system into one, few alternatives remain for helping the people government is supposed to serve. Lawmakers have cautiously looked at a gas tax as a means of funding more road and bridge projects, which is a critical need throughout the state. Of course this would mean the anti-tax Legislature, which is under the control of the Republican Party, would have to actually approve a tax.
A House committee has cleared the way for a 6-cent gas tax to be considered. The tax will undoubtedly go through plenty of debate, which is healthy, but lawmakers need to give serious consideration to the bill.
No one likes taxes, but Alabama’s roads and bridges are in deplorable condition. Numerous bridges are in deteriorating condition and affect the safety of residents. In rural areas of the state, school buses need safe roads and bridges to transport children to and from schools. The longer lawmakers wait to find a funding solution, the more expensive repairs will become.
After several years of concern about roads and bridges, there doesn’t appear to be a better suggestion than the gas tax.
Gas prices are down and the impact on consumers would not be as difficult as just a few years ago when the cost per gallon was double current levels. Taxation is not always a bad solution for solving issues. In this case, the result of the tax would be felt across the tax in a positive manner.
Online:
https://www.cullmantimes.com/
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