Shoals development bills advance

MONTGOMERY -- Shoals economic development legislation designed to attract a major industry to Colbert County advanced Tuesday, putting it in position to pass Thursday, the next to the last day of the 2007 session.

The bills by Sen. Bobby Denton, D-Muscle Shoals, would authorize half-cent sales taxes for Colbert and Lauderdale counties. The taxes would be the backbone of a local economic incentive effort to combine with the state incentive package to attract a major industry.

In other local action, a Montgomery senator objected to a constitutional amendment creating a Lauderdale County judicial selection committee but then removed his objection, and the amendment was passed in the Senate.

The amendment, if approved by voters, would remove a governor's authority to select candidates to fill judicial vacancies in Lauderdale County

If voters approve, a governor would have to select a judicial appointee from among nominees selected by a five-member committee appointed by local Democrats.

The Senate 30-0 approved the measure by Rep. Tammy Irons, D-Florence, after it was initially stalled by an objection from Sen. Larry Dixon, R-Montgomery.

"The governor loses an appointment,'' Dixon said.

Dixon said he was later sidetracked by an issue in the House and wasn't present to oppose the bill that Denton revitalized and got passed in the Senate.

The Lauderdale County Judicial Commission would consist of two people appointed by members of the bar association who live in Lauderdale County, two appointed by the county commission and one appointed by the chief justice. They could serve six years without pay.

The chief justice's appointee would be chairman of the commission whose duty would be to select three qualified candidates for vacancies. No commission member could be promoted as a candidate.

Also receiving final approval were bills to create local commissions that would decide how to spend additional TVA in-lieu of tax money for Colbert, Lauderdale, and Lawrence counties.

The Senate also passed a bill by Irons that would prohibit the withdrawal of water from the Tennessee River in Lauderdale County under certain conditions until a statewide water use plan is adopted.

Other local bills are in position to receive final passage in the session's two remaining days.

They include a Sunday liquor sales bill for Sheffield, a civil service bill for Tuscumbia, a pretrial diversion program for Colbert County, a Colbert County lodging tax increase to support tourism, a Tuscumbia Utilities Board bill and a Colbert County coroner expense allowance increase.

A statewide Sunday liquor sales bill that would affect Sheffield and Florence is still alive, and would allow referendums in both cities.

A bill by Irons to create a new class of small nursing homes died because it didn't make it out of a House committee.

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