Senate shenanigans jeopardize bills

MONTGOMERY – Colbert County Sen. Bobby Denton said Friday that bills to attract a major economic project to the Shoals may not pass this session.

“It certainly is in danger,’’ Denton, D-Muscle Shoals, said after the Senate failed to address two of four bills designed to lure a rail boxcar plant and about 1,500 jobs to the Shoals.

The Senate, still fighting over its operating rules, relented briefly Friday, long enough to pass Denton’s enabling legislation designed to manage local revenues for industrial development projects.

The Senate allowed Denton to introduce a fourth bill in the economic development package. Two other tax bills are stalled because the Senate refuses to accept committee reports.

That leaves only eight working days in the regular legislative session to pass all four bills Denton introduced.

They include half-cent sales tax bills for Colbert and Lauderdale counties. The sales taxes are the linchpin of the local incentive package.

Gov. Bob Riley and Denton as late as Thursday expressed confidence the legislature would pass the bills by the end of the session that cannot last more than 30 working days.

Now, Denton says the two tax bills and the bill introduced Friday may not make it even if they start passing Monday when the Senate returns for the 23rd legislative day.

After the 25th legislative day, bills require unanimous consent to be sent to the House. Denton said one senator vows to block bills after the 25th legislative day.

Denton and Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, pleaded with senators to pass Denton’s bill that now goes to the House. “I beg you,’’ Denton said.

Marsh, a Republican opposed to Denton’s majority clique, said partisan issues need to be put aside in the interest of economic development.

Denton, expressing his frustration, said Shoals House members should have introduced the bills because he believes they’d be farther along in the process by now.

He said House members refused to handle the package of bills.

“They wouldn’t handle them because they were taxes,’’ Denton said. “I’m really disappointed the House delegation piled all this on me instead of them doing it.’’

Denton said the last bill in the Shoals economic development package was brought to him to introduce only Friday.

“I had to kiss everybody in the Senate and beg everybody just to get it introduced,’’ he said.

Denton said he tried to convince House members they needed to introduce the revenue bills but they told him that only applies to state taxes.

So Denton ended up introducing the bills.

“I wanted to cooperate with everybody because we need the project,’’ Denton said. “We don’t need to feud and fight.’’

Rep. Mike Curtis, D-Florence, wouldn’t comment on Denton’s charge that he, Rep. Tammy Irons, D-Florence, and Rep. Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, refused to introduce the tax bills.

“The discussion was if it’s going to get killed in the Senate we need to go ahead and try to let Bobby get it out,’’ Curtis said. “If we passed it in the House (first), it would be the same position.’’

Curtis said Riley needs to get involved in the Senate and help move the incentive bills.

Denton said he discussed the Shoals project with Alabama Development Office

Director Neal Wade at the ThyssenKrupp news conference that took place Friday.

“(Wade) said, ‘Don’t worry Bobby, we’re going to get this done.’ ’’ Denton said. “I said, ‘Neal, you’re not in the Senate. I’m worried about it.’ ’’

Denton said Riley could call a special session for the Shoals economic development bills but they’d have to be re-advertised and that would take another month.

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