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Alabama Scene
The cantankerous State Senate…after weeks of being tied up in a logjam…finally put politics behind in the shank of the evening last week and passed the critically needed incentive bill which the state hopes will be the final piece in luring the huge ThyssenKrupp steel mill to Alabama. It didn't come easy…it came after almost 10 hours of name-calling and negotiating…but importantly the measures were passed unanimously. Those on the inside were giving much credit to Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom in working out the compromise. Folsom had been a huge supporter of the legislation after going to Germany with Gov. Bob Riley to meet with the steel companies officials some months ago. Riley's decision to invite Folsom and House Speaker Seth Hammett to accompany on that trip was one of his smarter political moves. Folsom could not conceal his pleasure at the last minute passage of the bills. "The unanimous vote for tax incentives sends a clear message to the steel industry and worldwide that the Senate is united," Folsom said. It is an interesting historical sidebar to this story that Folsom was governor and played a key role in luring another German industry…Mercedes Benz…to Alabama in the early 1990s. If Alabama does indeed land the steel plant…and there is still no guarantee of that…Folsom will have another feather in his cap as he gears up for the 2010 gubernatorial campaign. And to those who think the state offers too much to lure industry to Alabama…that we give away everything but the kitchen sink…I was in your camp when the state was trying to lure Mercedes to Alabama. I was one of those who thought the state had lost it's mind. I even wrote a column or two and broadcast a television editorial or two in opposition to the hundreds of millions of dollars the state was offering. How wrong I was. The landing of Mercedes was the most significant, most historical industrial recruitment in history. When Mercedes chose Alabama…of all places…for its site the world took notice and the rest is history… It has almost become a long running joke. A lot of well meaning folks…and they are well meaning…every year try to stir up interest in rewriting Alabama's ancient (1901) Constituton…a bill is introduced to call a constitutional convention… and it doesn't get to first base. It happened again last week. Rep. Demetrius Newton, D-Birmingham, sponsored the bill this year and when he sought to bring it up for debate in the House it didn't take him long to realize he didn't have anywhere near the votes to get it up for discussion. He carried it over…which is a gentle way of saying it is dead for this session. Few can argue that Alabama needs a new Constitution but the underlying fear is that if there is a statewide election of delegates they will be a mirror image of the Legislature…totally dominated by the AEA. That scares the wits out of a lot of people…not without reason… The Auburn University Board of Trustees has agreed to give new AU President Dr. Jay Gogue a starting salary of $450,000…which is less than the $500,000 now being paid to President Ed Richardson. But do not feel sorry for Dr. Gogue…the contract has incentives that will provide substantially more in the years ahead. If he remains on the job for five years he will receive deferred compensation of $250,000 a year which would make him by far the highest paid university president in the state. For the record, University of Alabama System Chancellor Malcolm Porter is paid $500,000 a year… I like a well-turned quote, and Sen. Myron Penn, D-Union Springs, came up with a good one when he was asked what chance Gov. Bob Riley's proposed ban on double dipping by legislatures had of passage.
His reply: "I could run through Hades with my undershorts soaked in gasoline and get out of there alive before this bill passes."
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