Editorial: "Judgment Day" - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: "Judgment Day"

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By Collin R. Gaston - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 23:20:08 GMT
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need

  • 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. 
    •   
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

On September 18th the people of Alabama will make their choices known at the polls and decide if our state constitution should be rewritten to allow Governor Bentley and the current administration to transfer more than $437 million dollars from the Alabama Trust Fund to the General Fund over the next 3 years.

The approved budget of $1.68 billion dollars for fiscal year 2013, which actually begins October 1st of this year, has the assumption built in that we the voters of Alabama will approve the referendum.  Given that we are only 6 weeks from this date and there is no guarantee of passing we have a grave concern about one rather large "what if?" 

What if it doesn't pass?  What's the plan then?  The only plan at that point would be to trim another $145.8 million dollars a year from an already lean budget meaning even more jobs lost, program funding reduced or cut altogether and a predicted catastrophe for Alabama's Medicaid program. 

So what can you do today?  You need to be informed, ask questions, call your legislators and mark your calendars for September the 18th to vote.    If you decide to vote "NO" understand the implications and the cost cutting measures that will take place immediately and if you decide to vote "YES" you will want to understand fully accountability measures in the debt repayment process, the timeline involved in doing so and what's the plan in 4 years when we won't have this gap funding.

September 18th is Judgment Day for Alabama – make sure your voice is heard, questions answered and vote is cast.

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