Successful jobs' session closes on tragic note

MONTGOMERY -- A somber Legislature closed its five-day special session Friday by giving Gov. Bob Riley $400 million in new economic incentives to lure between about 5,000 jobs to Mobile, the Shoals and Montgomery.

"The economic growth plan is absolutely essential if Alabama is going to continue competing for new jobs,'' Riley said in a statement. "With this plan, we will have the ability to continue recruiting new industries and helping our existing industries grow.''

If voters approve a constitutional amendment authorizing $400 million in new state bonding authority June 5, Riley will have extra incentives to offer major projects.

They include a $2.9 billion ThyssenKrupp steel plant for southwest Alabama as well as "Project Tiger,'' an industry with 1,500 jobs looking at the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park in Colbert County and at a site in Columbus, Miss.

Alabama Development Office Director Neal Wade said the state is chasing up to 12 new projects with a potential of 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Legislators said if Alabama lands a few of the projects, or major ones, their efforts will have been worth it.

The first legislative session for freshman Rep. Mike Curtis, D-Greenhill, was a whirlwind one, especially since Riley is targeting a major industry for his area.

"Of course, if we get the project in the Shoals, locally that will be a success,'' Curtis said. "If we get one (major one) it will be a success for the state.''

Riley called the Legislature into special session Monday and asked it to pass his proposals in a maximum of five days, the minimum time it takes to pass legislation.

At first, Riley wasn't sure of his support since losing a January bid to control the Senate.

But four days of wondering whether friction that simmered beneath the surface would erupt ended Thursday when information about deadly tornadoes in Enterprise and Wilcox County slammed into the House and Senate.

On Friday, the full brunt of the tragic loss of life, including children in Enterprise High School, began to register, making political squabbles pale by comparison.

"This tragedy brought home the reality that we are here to do the state's business and not down here to monkey around,'' said Sen. Bobby Denton, D-Muscle Shoals.

House Speaker Seth Hammett vowed to rebuild Enterprise High School.

"I don't want to lose sight of the fact that what we do is important, but keep the families who lost lives ... yesterday in your prayers,'' Hammett said.

Riley praised legislators who unanimously passed the economic incentives' constitutional amendment and a constitutional amendment to create a retired state teacher and employee health benefit trust fund.

Voters must approve both constitutional amendments before they can become law. Riley hopes for a June 5 statewide vote.

"We've got a strong economy in Alabama right now, but we must work and make the right choices to keep it strong,'' Riley said.

After he was able to dissuade some Senate Democrats from meddling with the proposed legislation, Riley received bipartisan support.

Now he must shift gears and prepare for the long 2007 regular legislative session that begins Tuesday. Some fear that the pre-session Republican obstruction promises may resurface and Democrats threaten to redraw legislative lines to their advantage.

"I hope the strong bipartisan cooperation we saw, the willingness to come together and address critical needs of our state, is something that will continue in the regular session,'' Riley said.

Then again it may not.

House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, said Democrats talked initially about obstructing the special session and then tried to claim credit for its success.

Hubbard said he hopes Democrats will consider Riley's and the Republicans' agenda in the regular session.

"I fear, though, that things will return to business as usual,'' Hubbard said.

Sen. Charles Bishop, R-Curry, joined Senate leader Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, in vowing to patch up differences.

"We probably will try to work hard with the leadership of the Democratic Party,'' Bishop said.

Dana Beyerle can be reached at (334) 264-6605 or dtb12345@aol.com.