Legislators, governor at odds

A documentary film about former Gov. John Patterson will be shown Monday at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery. The screening of the 86-minute film by Robert Clem begins at 4 p.m. "John Patterson: In the Wake of the Assassins,'' chronicles Patterson's rise to political power following the assassination of his father, Albert Patterson, the 1954 Democratic nominee for attorney general. The younger Patterson replaced his father as nominee, was elected, and was elected governor in 1958. Both Patterson and Clem are scheduled to attend the free showing. Clem, an Alabama native, lives in New York.

House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, called a $44 million interest account in the proposed school bond issue a "slush fund.'' Hubbard said the House GOP caucus stopped the $1.05 billion bond issue last week because the legislation would create an "expansive legislative'' slush fund controlled by a few Democrats. "Rather than funding projects based upon need and merit, this legislative slush fund committee will finance projects based upon who votes their way in the Legislature and who doesn't,'' Hubbard said. Democrats and Republicans voted against a parliamentary move that would have allowed the bill to come up for a vote and the bill was carried over. The bill creates the "Incentive Fund Council'' that Hubbard said would replace the Public School and College Authority as disburser of money. "The Public School and College Authority has operated very efficiently and effectively, under both Republican and Democrat governors, for many years, and there is no reason to change precedent,'' said Hubbard. The bond issue also would divert interest money from the PSCA, which is controlled by the governor, to the newly formed council controlled by Democrats.

A Senate committee last week approved a bill by Sen. Hinton Mitchem, D-Union Grove, that would allow the University of Alabama board of trustees to conduct official meetings over the telephone or by conference call, but only after adequate notice is given to the public. The Alabama Press Association said it didn't have a problem with the proposed change to the Alabama Open Meetings Law. The board would have to notify the public, which usually means the press, about an upcoming telephone conference call and the public could listen to the conference call.

Gov. Bob Riley's threat to kill the remainder of the legislative session over a budget and school bond issue impasse also endangers several local bills for the Shoals besides economic incentive bills designed to lure a major employer to the Shoals. Legislators have introduced bills to allow draft beer in Florence and legislation to increase the Colbert County lodging tax by 1 percent. The lodging tax bill is flawed because the Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau wants a 1 percentage point, or 10 percent, increase in the tax, not a 1 percent increase as the bill states. The tax currently is 10 percent and the bureau wants the increase to go to 11 percent. The bill would change the tourism bureau's take from the tax from 2 percentage points to 3 percentage points. Tourism Bureau director Susann Hamlin said the proposed tax would produce between $45,000 and $50,000 a year for the bureau. The tax hasn't been changed in 24 years, she said. The oversight can be amended when the bill is up for passage in the House on Tuesday.

Other endangered Shoals bills include one to create local development commissions to handle increased revenues from the Tennessee Valley Authority payments made in lieu of taxes for Colbert, Lawrence, and Lauderdale counties. Lauderdale County has bills to create a judicial commission, a pretrial diversion program, and to increase court fees. There are five legislative days left and local bills still could pass.

Nucor Corp. is sponsoring a forum for Alabama business, community, and political leaders to examine the economic and political impacts of global climate change policies on Alabama's business and industry, officials with the steel company said. The Wednesday forum also will include discussion of potential effects on U.S. competitiveness and global environmental quality. The forum will be at the Hilton Garden Inn at 1600 Interstate Park Dr. in Montgomery from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dana Beyerle is Montgomery Bureau chief for the New York Times Regional Newspapers.