Here we go again...

Big Issues Remain on Last Day of Legislative Session

Posted: May 19, 2008 02:32 PM

Updated: May 19, 2008 02:42 PM


Montgomery, Al. (WSFA) -- Monday is the final day of the legislative session and there are several big issues affecting the state that are still on the table. The debate has begun and the first item on the Senate calendar is the education budget. However, there is controversy lurking over budget cuts. The budget, which is pretty much Governor Riley's budget, cuts K-12 by three percent. The cuts to higher education stand at eleven percent.

There are senators who say higher education should get more money, specifically $25 million more. However, the chairman of the Senate Education Finance Committee, (D. Selma) Senator Hank Erwin disagrees saying, " K-12 is funded 43rd in the nation. We fund higher education per pupil 15th in the nation...and in addition to that if you look at it based on the portion of income we fund higher education number five in the nation. That is why when hard times come, higher education takes a bigger hit than K-12."

All the items that are still outstanding on this last day of the legislative session including removal of the sales tax on groceries. The controversy on that bill is that it eliminates the federal income tax deduction. Those who make more that $100,000 a year consider it a tax increase.

Another bill would make it so folks don't pay taxes on federal stimulus checks. Still outstanding is a bill that would prohibit smoking in most public and work places. And then there is a bill that would provide a tax break for small businesses and employees for medical insurance.