RSS Feed
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rep. Keahey says education pass will be approved
"I don't think there should be any problem with it, other than higher education not satisfied with it. "With the way the economy is right now, there are a lot of people that are not satisfied with things in the ($2 billion) general fund budget, and the education budget this year." The expected budget would reduce K-12 schools three percent below FY 2008, and universities are cut 11 percent. Although amendments will be offered to give higher education more funding, "our main priority is to be sure the kids and the high schools get the funding they need," he said. "…It's a pretty good budget under the circumstances for K-12. K-12's argument is that higher education can raise tuition, and they can't, but tuition is certainly high enough now. We don't want to have any deterrent for people going to college." It is also important for House Bill 350 to pass, which will provide an additional $67 million for education, Keahey said. HB 350, sponsored by Rep. Richard Lindsey of Centre, would levy approximately $100 million in new taxes on businesses operating in Alabama. In addition, a retroactive clause in the bill would change the law governing business taxes that have already been paid over the past several years. One bill, promoted by the Alabama Education Association, didn't pass this session. The "double dipping" bill passed by the House would allow public employees to also serve in the Legislature and in other elected positions. The bill would do away with a state school board policy that does not allow twoyear college employees to also serve in the Alabama Legislature or other elected positions. "They (public employees) would be able to spend their (earned) leave time to serve in the Legislature, or on the county commission, or wherever," Keahey said. "It wasn't double dipping, when you're getting paid for two jobs at the same time, whether that was happening or not. "I don't think you should get paid at one job when you're not there doing the work. (However) I think we've got enough restrictions on people serving in the Legislature. "I don't know whether people want people of all ages in the Legislature, or not," he said. "The people up there now are all retired….If you're going to try to have people of all ages and somebody represent every segment that there is, we don't need to have anymore restrictions. "…Whether or not you should be able to vote on certain issues…is different." Keahey is in favor of a proposed constitutional amendment that was not passed involving removing sales tax from groceries. "(Rep.) John Knight is about as passionate about that as anything," he said. "...I think it is good. It would eventually cost me to pay more taxes, but the majority of the people in my district and the majority of people in Alabama it would help. "I'm a big supporter of it….That was a campaign issue when I first got into politics. If there is anything you can take the tax off of or remove the tax from what you use to keep yourself alive." The grocery sales tax amendment still has life. "They are one vote shy," he said. "If you could set aside a few personalities, you could get that vote." Keahey hears a lot from constituents about high gas prices, "We've got ethanol plants that are calling, wanting to locate in Alabama right now. A bill that I sponsored again, this year, is in position to pass next Monday. It would allow Alabama to manufacture and sell and transport ethanol in the state. Right now we can't because of prohibition laws. It will put another exemption into those laws if you're using it for fueling automobiles." The representative believes the ethanol plants would bring economic development to the state. "…The big thing right now is excess cooking oil from restaurants," Keahey said. "The City of Montgomery has started running all their city automobiles from this byproduct from cooking oil." Cities such as Hoover and Birmingham are also using it.
He believes elected leaders must consider alternative fuel sources.
|
for larger version       |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
)
