Editorial: Financial Challenges - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Financial Challenges

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  • Editorials

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 

  • Thursday, May 9 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-09 23:20:06 GMT
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
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The regular session of the Alabama legislature starts next week, a very early start because it's an election year. 

The head start will be needed to deal with the pressing problem of how to cut at least a third of the general fund budget.  And if no cuts are made to Medicaid and Corrections, lawmakers will need to cut nearly half of the general fund budget for the 2011 fiscal year. 

A nearly 1% cut will also be needed in the Education Trust Fund budget. 

The cuts are necessary because revenue is down. 

Just over 100 million dollars of the federal stimulus money remains for the general fund budget and nearly 300 million for the education budget, the rest will be spent this year. 

So it is time to deal with the reality that has been postponed for several years now. 

Jobs will be cut.  Services will be cut.  Everyone in the state will be affected. 

To tackle this budget issue for the long term, the legislature will need to base budgets on historical trends rather than on predictions for tax collections. 

For the short term, the governor and legislators and the candidates for governor and the legislature, will need to address how we are going to raise the needed revenue to continue to fund services to us all.