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Advisory

UA Experts Named to Constitution Commission
Tax Reform Waits
Supporting Reform

UA Experts Named to Constitution Commission

The first executive step toward reform of Alabama's Constitution has been taken. Good to his word, Gov. Bob Riley has named a 34-member blue-ribbon committee to look particularly at three areas of the constitution that need immediate attention. This Alabama Citizens' Constitution Commission is comprised of Alabamians from a wide variety of areas including business, law, churches and religious groups, civic organizations, politics and education.

Four UA experts are included on the commission: Dr. Bill Stewart, professor emeritus of political science; Dr. Bailey Thomson, associate professor of journalism and member of the executive committee of Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform (ACCR); Jim Bryce, professor of law; and Bob McCurley, director of the Alabama Law Institute at the UA School of Law.

Riley has asked for recommendations on the following issues:

Earmarking. Some 90 percent of state taxes are reserved (earmarked) for specific uses such as road building and repair and teachers' salaries. Earmarking resulted from Alabamians' distrust of legislators' abilities to properly fund certain sectors in the state.
Home rule. County governments have very limited power to govern, and Riley is looking for ways to offer them more power over items like zoning, economic development, and other services.
Line-item veto. The commission will look at whether the Governor should have the power to reject a specific spending item while accepting others.

Tax Reform Waits

No similar step has been taken by Gov. Riley for tax reform. However, a group of education leaders representing K- 12 and two- and four-year schools have met as the "Education Family." The group includes Dr. Malcolm Portera, chancellor of The University of Alabama System. The next step will be to write a report detailing issues such as the long-term effects of funding shortages to education, accountability measures already in place in educational systems and institutions, and an estimate of the amount of money needed each year to allow education to operate in a competitive way with other systems in the region.

Supporting Reform

Attending Higher Ed Day in Montgomery at the State House March 13 is a good step in expressing support for reform. Visit the HEP Web site for more information at www.higheredpartners.org. Joining the UAS PAC is another. Visit the UA Legislative Affairs site for more information at www.governmentrelations.ua.edu.