WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Editorial: Somber State of the State

Editorial: Somber State of the State

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By John Shryock - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident. The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments:

  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"

  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five

  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Just before the state of the state address last year we editorialized cuts were needed and new revenue streams developed to pass a balanced budget. 

The former governor then delivered a speech saying all was well with the revenue picture. 

It wasn't as the new governor determined quickly.  He ordered 165 million dollars cut from the current education budget and 110 million cut from the current general fund budget to get them in balance.    

He is now proposing cutting 217 line items from the General Fund budget for next year, including 185 earmarks and 32 commissions and boards.  He rightfully says we can't continue to spend millions of dollars we don't have. 

The governor deserves accolades for being forthright with us but we encourage him and our legislators to take a careful look at how final budgets are set.

 Some of the priorities set forth for the education budget make sense: no teacher cuts, protecting the initiatives that are working well and giving more flexibility to local school boards. 

Some of the priorities in the general fund budgets – protecting Medicaid and the military and maintaining ethics and corrections also make sense. 

But cutting tourism funding nearly in half will compromise a ten billion dollar revenue stream, a huge revenue generator for our state. 

Keeping and creating jobs will alleviate some of the budget strain. 

Legislators must make sure the proposed cuts don't harm both.

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