Joe Turnham: Dems resolve to end GOP stalling tactics and move forward

Joe Turnham
Guest columnist
Published: February 4, 2008

Legislative leaders in the Alabama House and Senate have made it clear they want to work with Republicans and the governor to solve the real problems that confront Alabama families in 2008.

With a nation at war and economy under stress, it takes mature, sober leadership at the legislative helm. In last year’s state senate, the Republican led filibuster lasted 27 of the 30 legislative days effectively killing many constructive legislative initiatives. Democrats need Republicans to come aboard in a cooperative spirit in 2008.

Recently, Democratic Leaders including Speaker Seth Hammett; Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom; and Senate President Hinton Mitchem offered a handshake of cooperation to Republican leaders by pledging to take redistricting off the table for the legislative session.

Democratic leaders have pledged to come with strong and transparent legislation on ethics and PAC-to-PAC transfer bans this session. Democrats have already drafted a bill (HB122 passed last year by the House and Senate) requiring lobbyists who lobby Gov. Bob Riley and the Executive Branch to register and disclose their dealings. State law today does not cover those who lobby the executive branch, but does require registration for the House and Senate lobbyists. Riley vetoed this same legislation last year, while just weeks ago pledging to raise millions in new campaign dollars between now and 2010 for legislative Republican elections. Democrat Rep. Marcel Black has pre-filed House Bill 71 again to bring ethics to the executive branch in 2008.

Alabama citizens have the lowest per capita tax burden of any state in America under Democratic leadership, yet Democrats have consistently balanced our state budgets every year and will do so again in 2008. Democrats believe until we meet our obligation to fund the public school classroom and provide health care for seniors and children, we should propose no new government programs until funds become available in a recovering economy.

Unlike Republican leadership under President George W. Bush, Democrats in Alabama have been the fiscally responsible party. Republicans in Washington in seven years have doubled our national debt from $5 trillion to nearly $10 trillion through mismanagement — Alabama Democrats will not allow that model to be replicated in Alabama state government.

Democratic leaders have made it clear to me that they intend to fully fund Medicaid in 2008. Despite Gov. Riley and his Medicaid Commissioner not fully revealing the deficit projections for the coming fiscal year, Democrats tell me they will not allow a program that funds 74 percent of Alabama’s nursing home beds, 40 percent of primary healthcare for children and coverage for one-half of the live births in Alabama to not be fully funded. Kids and seniors are legislative priority one.

Other Democratic agenda items will be: legislation to stiffen penalties for companies that hire illegal workers; stiffer penalties for computer crimes against children; raising mandatory liability insurance limits to protect Alabama consumers. Gov. Riley vetoed this legislation in 2007 that would have raised these mandatory limits for the first time since 1983.

Democrats are committed to funding Alabama’s Reading Initiative and math and science programs, which for years paid dividends to Alabama children and teachers. Teachers and support personnel have offered to forgo pay raises in order to fund the needs of the classroom first due to projected budget deficits.

Democrats know that the people of Alabama expect, in fact, demand that leaders drop political rancor in order to solve problems, especially in these tough economic times. Democrats challenge Republicans to put the people over partisanship in this new 2008 session.

Joe Turnham is Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party.