Jim Zeigler to ALDOT: spend money on I-10 bridge, not duplicate intercoastal bridge
A $250 million grant for the Mobile River Bridge and the I-10 Bayway Project was denied by the federal government on Wednesday. Mobile and Baldwin county lawmakers applied for the grant last year under the Infra program, designed provide discretionary funds for projects in the U.S. that address critical issues facing the nation’s highways and bridges. Officials say the foundations for the bridge are already set in place, and the Alabama Department of Transportation will be meeting with “several ‘shortlisted’ teams to work on environmental documents, and furthering the design of the project,” according to WALA. Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler, says that given the denial of the federal grant; the state needs to redirect funds from the proposed duplicate Intercoastal Canal Bridge to the I-10 Bayway project. Ziegler released a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying, “the failure of the state to obtain the needed quarter-billion dollar ‘Infra’ grant means that discretionary funding must be redirected to the more mature projected for which there is a clearer need.” “Spending on the proposed duplicate Intercoastal Canal Bridge must be halted and redirected to the I-10 Bayway project,” he continued. According to Ziegler, “the I-10 project is designed to eliminate congestion in Mobile’s Wallace Tunnels and across the I-10 Bayway over Mobile Bay. The state of Alabama has been working on the project for years.” The controversial “duplicate Intercostal Canal bridge” Ziegler is referring to is the proposed bridge ALDOT is attempting to build between Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Ala. Just over two months ago, Zeigler reached out to ALDOT trying to find answers about a proposed bridge, but neither John Cooper, transportation Director at ALDOT nor ALDOT have yet to respond to his request. Yesterday, Ziegler reached out to the Transportation Planning Organization to table a vote on including the bridge in their long term plan until he received answers. In their statement of response the TPO noted that, “ALDOT is heavily in support of the bridge.” The project received the necessary votes to be included in the plan.
Personnel note: Annette Funderburk named president of Ingram State Technical College
At the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) board of trustees meeting on Wednesday, Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker announced the selection of Annette Funderburk as president of Ingram State Technical College (ISTC). “Mrs. Funderburk’s impact on Ingram State to date far outweighs her tenure at the institution,” Baker said. “Annette’s vision and passion for correctional education is palpable and her commitment to bettering the lives of those ISTC serves is apparent in the stories of the college’s graduates. ISTC serves a unique purpose within the Alabama Community College System and I’m confident that Annette’s skillset and experience make her the best choice to carry out their important mission.” Funderburk’s experience Funderburk has served as the Interim President at Ingram State since February 2017. Prior to leading ISTC, she served nearly 10 years within the Alabama Community College System where her most recent role was Director of External Affairs. Before working within the two-year college System, Funderburk served in several roles related to local government including a Municipal Consultant, responsible for securing grant funds for infrastructure and development projects, as well as a County Administrator for the Tallapoosa County Commission. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Montevallo and a Master’s in Public Administration from Troy University. About ISTC Ingram State Technical College serves a 100 percent incarcerated adult population. An accredited member of the Alabama Community College System, ISTC delivers career technical, GED, and job skills training at six locations across Alabama. “Providing education and training opportunities to Alabama’s incarcerated population is not simply a job, it’s a calling, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue the important work being done at Ingram State,” Funderburk said. “It has been an honor to lead the hard-working and committed faculty and staff at ISTC and I’m proud to work alongside these individuals as we truly make a difference in the lives of those we serve.”
Robert Aderholt named Adoption Coalition co-chair for the 115th Congress
Alabama 4th District U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt on Wednesday was named a co-chair of the of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) for the 115th Congress. “I am honored to be the new Republican House Co-Chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. I look forward to working with my co-chairs and colleagues to promote adoption among U.S. families and in our policies and laws. Adoption is such a wonderful choice and I will do all I can to help more children find their forever families,” Aderholt said. The CCA is the largest bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Member organization and works to engage Members of Congress on issues pertaining to children in need of permanency and adoption, children in the foster care system, and domestic and international child welfare, as well as to advocate for every child’s right to a safe, stable and loving family. Aderholt and his family are longtime supporters of CCAI, —, the non-profit institute dedicated to raising awareness about children in need of families both domestically and internationally and to eliminating the policy barriers that hinder children from finding their forever — adoption, foster youth and child welfare issues. Since his first days as a Member of Congress, he has sponsored and co-sponsored dozens of bills relating to adoption and child welfare issues, and over the years Aderholt has made clear his commitment to children without families, whether through assisting families in his own state and district, participating in CCAI’s Angels in Adoption® Program, advocating for preservation of the adoption tax credit, or responding to international crises such as the Russian ban on inter-country adoption that impacted hundreds of American families who were in the process of adopting. In 2016, Rep. Aderholt joined CCAI on a 20/20 Vision Program congressional delegation to Haiti, which moved him deeply and strengthened his commitment to elevating family care for orphans and vulnerable children as a priority for the U.S. government. The work of a co-chair The role of the CCA co-chairs is to lead and actively engage their colleagues in Congress and draft and support federal policies that help place children in families. Aderholt will join CCA’s current three co-chairs: Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Representative Brenda Lawrence of Michigan. “The Congressional Coalition on Adoption plays a pivotal role in advancing policies to protect foster youth and promote adoption,” said Blunt. “As a champion for foster youth and adoptive families, Rep. Aderholt will be a strong addition to the team. I look forward to working with him and the CCA to continue our effort to help more children find the safe, loving home they deserve.” By joining the CCA, Members of Congress have the opportunity to participate in programs and events throughout the year that allow them to interact with vulnerable children and youth, the families that care for them, and subject matter experts to hear the stories of the challenges and opportunities they experience and to strengthen federal policy with this information. “As Senate co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption I’ve worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help make the adoption process better for families across our country. As the new House co-chair, Rep. Aderholt will be an important advocate for adoptive families as we work to ensure that every child has a safe home and a loving family,” Klobuchar said. Lawrence added, “Our adoptive and foster youth are deserving of strong advocates in Congress. Because of his indisputable passion and dedication to serving some of the most vulnerable populations, I am proud to welcome Rep. Aderholt as the new Co-Chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. I look forward to working with him as we fight for children in need of a permanent and loving family.” “We are so pleased that Representative Aderholt is stepping into this leadership role in the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to child welfare and adoption policy. CCAI looks forward to supporting him and his staff in the co-chair role as a resource,” said Becky Weichhand, Executive Director of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. History of the coalition For more than 30 years, CCA Members have led Congress in the passage of legislation that has dramatically improved the lives of children and families including the “The Adoption and Safe Families Act,” the “John Chafee Foster Care Independence Act,” the “Promoting Safe and Stable Families Act,” the “Hope for Children Act,” the “Intercountry Adoption Act,” the “Fostering Connections and Increasing Adoptions Act,” and the “Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act.” Most recently, many CCA Members supported the passage of the “Family First Prevention and Services Act.” Today there are over 437,000 children in foster care, and nearly 118,000 of these children are eligible for adoption, waiting for families to call their own. Children living in orphanages globally are estimated conservatively at eight million, with unknown numbers living on the streets.
House Republicans to offer 2 separate bills on immigration
House Republicans are considering next steps on two immigration bills after GOP leaders persuaded moderate Republicans to drop their renegade effort to force votes on legislation that would have protected young “Dreamer” immigrants with a path to citizenship. Instead, leaders reached a deal with moderates and conservatives that will allow two votes on other bills, starting as soon as next week. Moderates were promised a vote on a compromise immigration plan, which remains a work in progress but will likely include a citizenship pathway for the young immigrants who have been living in the country illegally since they were children. Conservatives were guaranteed a vote on their favored approach, which provides a path to legal status but not citizenship. With a truce between the GOP’s factions, House Republicans were set to meet behind closed doors Wednesday to assess the process forward on an issue that has divided the party for years — and that leaders worried would damage the GOP ahead of the election season. A spokeswoman for Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., AshLee Strong, announced the decision late Tuesday after a bargaining session with the lawmakers from the GOP’s conservative and moderate factions ended without agreement on a single package all sides could support. Moderates had been collecting signatures on a petition drive to would force a vote. Strong said the decision to consider two bills would avert the petition drive “and resolve the border security and immigration issues.” Leaders feared if the moderates had been able to collect the 218 votes needed, mostly from Democrats, it would embarrass Republicans by passing a bill that conservatives decried as amnesty for the young immigrants. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., a leader of the moderates’ petition drive, credited his group for forcing the issue to the fore. “Our goal has always been to force the House to debate and consider meaningful immigration reform, and today we’re one step closer,” Curbelo said. Conservatives were also pleased, certain that neither bill would necessarily win enough votes to pass, but confident the outcome would show the political strength of their preferred approach, a bill from Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a leader of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said even if the bill fails, voting would show “we can just amend the Goodlatte bill” and try again. Strong said votes on the two bills would happen next week. But Meadows said a vote on the compromise plan may slip to the end of the month as talks continue crafting the legislation. For weeks, the party’s two wings have hunted for ways to provide a compromise that would provide the citizenship pathway and also bolster border security, but have failed to find middle ground. The House ended Tuesday’s session as moderates fell short of their stated goal of having 218 signatures — a majority of the chamber — on a petition that would force votes on other immigration bills that GOP leaders oppose. They had promised to do that by Tuesday in order to trigger those votes later this month. Instead, the centrists accumulated the names of all 193 Democrats but just 23 Republicans — two short of the number required. GOP leaders have strongly opposed the rarely used petition tactic, asserting those votes would probably produce a liberal-leaning bill backed by Democrats and just a smattering of Republicans. They’ve actively lobbied other moderates to not sign the petition, and in talks bargainers have sought legislation both sides could back or alternatively a way for each faction to get a vote on legislation they could support. The alternative measure is still under discussion. But a Republican familiar with the discussions said it would likely be based on a proposal by moderates that would grant the Dreamers a chance for citizenship but also provide the $25 billion President Donald Trump wants for his border wall with Mexico. It would also hew close Trump’s ideas for ending the diversity visa and impose curbs on legal immigration for some immigrant family members, changes that conservatives want. That Republican spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private talks. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., criticized the GOP approach. “If Republicans plan to use Dreamers as a way to advance @realDonaldTrump’s xenophobic, anti-immigrant agenda, they will get a fight from House Democrats,” Pelosi said in a tweet. Any compromise bill would probably also include provisions changing how immigrant children are separated from their families at the border, aides said. Trump’s recent clampdown on people entering the U.S. illegally has resulted in hundreds of children being separated from their families and a public relations black eye for the administration. No law requires those children to be taken from their parents. A 2-decade-old court settlement requires those who are separated to be released quickly to relatives or qualified programs. But the White House has sought to change that and Republicans are seeking language to make it easier to keep the families together longer, said several Republicans. Advocates for immigrants have said the Goodlatte bill would allow minors to be detained longer than is now currently allowed. As talks between the House GOP’s factions continued, leaders worked to derail the moderates’ petition. As part of the effort, party leaders promised votes to later this year on a bill dealing with migrant agricultural workers and requirements that employers use a government online system to verify workers’ citizenship, according to three aides familiar with the negotiations. The Republicans spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private talks. Congress has been forced to deal with the immigration after Trump last year terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Hundreds of thousands of young immigrants have benefited from DACA or could qualify for it, but risked of deportation as the program ended, though federal court orders have kept the program functioning for now. Senate efforts to pass immigration legislation failed earlier this year. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Is Alabama’s hostility to gambling finally fading?
Situated firmly in the Bible Belt, Alabama has long been against legalizing gambling. That is perhaps changing, as Alabama voters nominated candidates for governor — Republican Kay Ivey and Democrat Walt Maddox — who both favor creating a state lottery. “The resistance is now openly fraying, suggesting that gambling is no longer a potent moral issue that animates voters and politicians the way it once did,” wrote New York Times reporter Alan Blinder. Christian leaders change their perspective The New York Times says the hostility toward gambling may be decreasing as Christian leaders are no longer prioritizing the issue the way they used to. “The biggest priority right now for me is reminding evangelicals of why we are opposed to gambling, which means teaching a biblical view of economic stewardship and a biblical view of concern for the poor,” Russell Moore, who leads the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy arm and is a native of the casino-dotted Mississippi coast told the New York Times. “I’m not concerned that evangelicals are changing their position on gambling, as much as I’m concerned that there’s often a kind of fatalism that assumes that gambling is going to be part of every economy.” The gambling debate Alabama has long struggled with the issue of gambling, as lawmakers faced several bills in recent sessions of the legislature aimed at loosening gambling laws, allowing the state to take part in the lucrative gaming industry. But state lawmakers haven’t voted on legalizing gambling in nearly 19 years as recent efforts have stalled. Last it happened was under then-Gov. Don Siegelman. In August 2016, the Greene County Circuit Court sided with the state of the of Alabama over controversial seizures of electronic bingo machines at the Frontier Bingo of Knoxville. In March 2014, Alabama law enforcement officers raided several casinos in Greene County, seizing cash and more than 1,000 illegal bingo machines. The raids and subsequent ending of bingo operations were “extremely detrimental to the quality of life” in the region, according to some community leaders. Another salvo in the battle over gambling was fired by the VictoryLand Casino, which reopened despite a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court shutting down electronic bingo operations for nearly three years, The Shorter casino has been shuttered since 2013 when a raid by the state took 1,615 gambling machines and $260,000 in cash. And in March 2016, the Supreme Court said casino owners were passing off games as “bingo,” and the machines were illegal. In November 2015, Bentley rescinded an executive order disbanding his predecessor’s gambling task force, transferring enforcement powers to the office of Attorney Gen. Luther Strange. Strange had also pushed hard against gambling, mainly daily fantasy sports (DFS) leagues operating in the state. Earlier this year, Strange had sent cease and desist letters to FanDuel and DraftKings, calling DFS “illegal gambling.” They have not operated in the state ever since, despite lawmaker’s attempts at legalizing DFS. Least gambling-addicted state For a state that’s constantly debating whether or not to institute a state lottery as a means to generate revenue, Alabama should probably consider a 2017 report that ranks the Yellowhammer State as the least gambling-addicted state in the country. In personal finance website WalletHub’s latest report of 2017’s Most Gambling-Addicted States, analysts found Alabama is neither gambling-friendly nor do its residents have the need to seek treatment for gambling addiction. Perhaps it’s simply a matter of access, but Alabamians are able to avoid the economic consequences of a gambling addiction, which affects slightly more than 2 percent of all U.S. adults. According to the Mayo Clinic, “gambling can stimulate the brain’s reward system much like drugs such as alcohol can, leading to addiction.” That addiction can lead to serious economic consequences. On a societal level, compulsive gambling costs an estimated $6 billion per year, according to a study by the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Birmingham City Council meeting highlights: June 12, 2018
During the Birmingham City Council Meeting on June 12, 2018, the City Council voted on the following items: A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver an agreement with Alabama Environmental Council, under which Alabama Environmental Council will preserve in the public interest or aid in the preservation of areas in Birmingham which are scenic, ecological, geological, biological, historical, or of recreational importance. Alabama Environmental Council will combat environmental deterioration by providing facilities for collection of certain materials for recycling and assisting with the collection of materials for recycling. The term of the agreement shall be for Six (6) months in an amount not to exceed $75,000.00.Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The Alabama Environmental Council (AEC), formerly Alabama Conservancy, was established in 1967 before the first Earth Day, before the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, and before the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. They were the first environmental advocacy organization in the state. The AEC serves Alabama as a leader in recycling program development and advocate for reduced landfill use. The Alabama Environmental Council manages the Avondale and Bessemer recycling centers. The AEC is a statewide, nonprofit organization engaging citizens toward sustainable living and stewardship of the environment. Nearly 2,000 tons of recyclables are processed at their centers annually. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 A Resolution approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute an Agreement with The Birmingham Board of Education (BOE), under which the BOE will provide the following goods and services (1) School Security Measures (2) School Academic and Athletic Support; and (3) After School Care and Summer Enrichment Programs, and the City shall deliver funds to the BOE in the amount of $3,665,000.00.Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? This is the City of Birmingham’s annual appropriation to the Birmingham Board of Education. Instead of the appropriation being a “blank check”, the City’s funds will specifically be used for funding security at Birmingham City Schools, extracurricular and athletic programs during the school year, as well as for summer enrichment programs. Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement with the RESPECT Organization (“RESPECT”), pursuant to Amendment 772 of the Alabama Constitution of 1901 to provide public money and things of value to a private entity for purposes of promoting the economic and industrial development of the City, under which RESPECT will assist the City in facilitating various economic development projects including employment skills services, school dropout, youth educational motivational programs, and youth educational enhancement programs and training services to inspire and motivate parents, students and young adults to improve their lives, stimulating the local economy and yielding increased employment for young adults and RESPECT will assist in the promotion of economic development growth and sustainability within the City, and the City will pay RESPECT an amount not to exceed $25,000.00 for a term of one year.Was this item approved? Yes What does this mean? The purpose of the RESPECT Organization is to expose, highlight, recognize, motivate, challenge, inspire, award and reward the youth of Birmingham, particularly the West End Community; in ways that will bring them up to new levels of “respect”. They want to show the city, state, nation and world, there is a remnant of this generation that remains in touch with morality, accountability and productivity. Their calendar of events includes their annual Back to School Rally and Parade, noted as the #1 back to school rally in the nation, gathering over 20,000 youth in attendance, as well as their: Annual Thanksgiving Benefit Concert – This concert brings together local middle and high school choirs. Proceeds gained from this outreach help to Habitat for Humanity, school choirs, and needy families. The P.R.O.M.I.S.E. (Professionals Reaching Out Motivating Inspiring Students to Excel) opportunities for students to interact with professionals through motivational speakers and apprenticeships. School Rallies – tours to schools to encourage our youth to “RESPECT” (Respect Every Single Person Ever Created Today) Steve Green Scholarship Fund – awarded to students for academic excellence Next Steps: For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294 ••• Meeting highlights provided by the Birmingham City Council Public Information office.
Steve Flowers: An analysis of gubernatorial primaries
Now that the dust has settled from last week’s gubernatorial primaries, let’s analyze the outcome. Governor Kay Ivey and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox won very impressive victories. Ms. Ivey beat three well financed opponents without a runoff. She trounced them. She garnered 56 percent of the vote to 25 percent for Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. Evangelist Scott Dawson and Mobile State Senator Bill Hightower brought up the rear with 13 percent and 5 percent respectively. All three men worked hard and raised money. It was a daunting task to defeat a sitting governor. The challenge now goes to youthful, vibrant, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, who captured the Democratic nomination with a brilliant and impressive victory. Maddox’s win may have been more impressive than Ivey’s. He had to defeat a field of five. He did so, like Ivey, without a runoff. He also received 55 percent of his primary vote. His closest challenger was former Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb, who got 29 percent. Former Cullman State Representative James Fields ran third in the Democratic primary with 9 percent of the vote. Polling revealed three months out that Kay Ivey had an insurmountable lead. Remarkably, the same polls had her with the almost identical 30-point lead three weeks out. Her numbers were 45 to Battle’s 12, Dawson 9, and Hightower 4 in mid-February and again as late as mid-May. The only way to diminish that kind of lead is to go negative. Battle refused to go negative, which negated any chance he had to overtake her. He was the only one of the three with the financial resources to decimate her numbers. He chose to use his campaign largesse to buy name identification. He is probably planning on making another run for governor in 2022. Thus, making this his get acquainted race. Kay will more than likely not be a candidate for reelection in 2022, if indeed she survives the November general election against the Democrat Walt Maddox. All three dawdled with the scheme to go after Kay’s age, cognizance, and health. The first to use the ploy was Hightower. In a veiled way to draw attention to Kay’s health, he released his medical report. Dawson and Battle followed suit with statements from their doctors saying they were fine. The media took the bait and smelled blood. They caught Kay off guard and off script. She first gave some ambiguous, befuddled response. Then when her campaign handlers had time to survey the scenario, they realized that all the three men did was to get a written statement from their primary physician that simply stated they were in generally good health. Well, Kay could do that. The issue was diffused and laid to rest. Presidential candidates cannot get by with broad, benign statements that they are fine. They are made to reveal their medical records and history. This is sometimes pretty private and quite revealing. Every medical problem, procedure, medication, and disease contracted is shown. There is a reason that Bill Clinton did not release his medical records. The gentleman award in the GOP Primary goes to Mayor Tommy Battle and Preacher Scott Dawson in the Governor’s race and State Senator Rusty Glover in the Lt. Governor’s race. They were vibrant and positive. Their sincerity and candor were refreshing. They gave hope that good people will enter Alabama politics. However, they also gave renewed credence to the old adage, “nice guys finish last.” This maxim is especially true in politics. One of the most interesting stories of this year’s gubernatorial election is that when Kay Ivey was a student at Auburn University 52 years ago, she cut her teeth in politics campaigning for Lurleen Wallace for governor. Lurleen won that race going away. In 1966, Governor Lurleen Wallace defeated 10 male opponents without a runoff. She is our only elected female governor in our state’s history. Ironically, if Kay is elected in November, she will be our second elected female governor. Kay Ivey also made a special friend at Auburn. She and Jimmy Rane met and bonded at the Loveliest Village on the Plain. Rane, better known as the Yellow Man from his commercials, founded Great Southern Wood Company and has forged it into one of America’s great companies. Rane runs his company out of Abbeville and still resides in his native Henry County. Rane and Ivey have remained fast friends over the years. He has been an integral part of her campaign. He has been her largest personal contributor. In addition, she used Rane’s Great Southern jet to fly around the state on her final day of campaigning. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
