Shoals bills gain Senate movement

MONTGOMERY -- The Senate briefly ended its cold war Tuesday and moved two Shoals economic development bills into position to pass Thursday in-the waning days of the legislative session.

The Senate suspended a session-long filibuster and accepted committee reports containing two local sales tax bills by Sen. Bobby Denton, D-Muscle Shoals.

Just this week, Denton feared for his economic development bills but now he says he has hope for them.

The bills would add a one-half percent sales tax in Colbert and Lauderdale counties in order to produce the local economic incentive share required by the state to entice a major employer to Colbert County. The project is identified by senators as a boxcar company and code named Project Tiger.

"What I'm shooting for is to get (the bills) to the House; we're going to be working hard to do that,'' said Denton.

The two bills are half of a four-bill package designed to sweeten the state's offer to attract Project Tiger. The industry could bring 1,500 jobs to the Shoals.

Beginning today, there will be only six legislative days remaining this session, enough time to pass Denton's bills in both the Senate and the House but with little room to spare.

The Senate last week passed a third Denton bill that would create a local economic development committee that would handle local funding for the industrial project.

A fourth Denton bill that would alter the composition and authority of the Shoals Economic Development Authority is in-the Senate Local Legislation-Committee.

Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russell-ville, who represents part of Colbert County, said it's his goal to end a Senate stalemate and begin passing local and statewide bills.

The Senate has passed only 13 Senate bills this session.

Meanwhile, the House passed three unrelated local bills creating community development commissions for Colbert, Lauderdale and Lawrence counties.

The commissions would be able to authorize the distribution of a portion of nontax payments from the Tennessee Valley Authority. The money would be used for economic development.

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