Alabama county commissions plan mental health push in 2024 legislative session
Ralph Chapoco, Alabama Reflector AUBURN – The Association of County Commissions of Alabama plans to make a push on mental health issues in the 2024 session of the Alabama Legislature. The organization, holding its annual meeting in Auburn this week, plans to support expansion of residential treatment facilities; improved training for corrections officers on mental health crises; additional funding for a 988-suicide hotline, and 15 more mental health crisis units. “In most counties, we are unable to respond to that cry out for help because there are no beds for treatment for those persons,” said Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the ACCA, on Wednesday. Brasfield said in many cases, families will first approach a local probate judge to get help for a loved one in a mental health crisis. “The probate judge faces himself, saying ‘gosh, yes, this person needs to be committed,’” Brasfield said. ‘“I have nowhere for the person to go. I will put him in line, take him back home.’” If that person develops additional problems, Brasfield said, a family may end up calling law enforcement, which places the person in a detention center, which could worsen the issues. ACCA set a goal to add 3,200 additional beds for those going through a mental health crisis that will require an additional $30 million. “We begin that effort today,” Brasfield said. “And tomorrow, we are setting that as our goal.” The ACCA held two sessions on mental health at a meeting on Wednesday. The first presentation was given by Monroe County Commissioner Justin Sawyer, who was part of an effort by second-term commissioners who reviewed potential issues they wanted to address. The group, the PLAN 2024 Leadership Program, decided to make mental health a priority. “We unanimously said we wanted to tackle mental health, but when we said it, we really didn’t know what to do,” Sawyer said. Members of the group surveyed probate judges for their thoughts. According to a handout passed out to participants on Wednesday, 92% of the judges in the different counties wanted more long-term care options and resources. 72% wanted better non-residential services and programs, and 61% of those surveyed wanted to expand involuntary commitment authority. Many of the judges said they conducted mental health hearings at least days of the week. From there, the group developed the priority list, which included better access to long-term care, expanded mental health training for employers and law enforcement, as well as increasing the number of mental health officers, placing one in all 67 counties. Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, who chairs the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee, followed and spoke of efforts to fund the 988 hotline during the prior year’s session. “That really was to take care of the operations of the projected six crisis centers in Alabama,” Reynolds said. The bill would have funded the 988 line through a surcharge on cell phone lines. The proposal drew opposition from the telecommunications industry, and ultimately did not pass. Reynolds said he plans to file the bill again in next year’s session. The ACCA meeting will continue on Thursday. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Alabama lawmakers poised to cut sales tax on food in half
Alabama lawmakers are poised to remove half of the state’s sales tax on food, a move that some legislators and advocacy groups had sought for decades, but that gained bipartisan traction this year in the face of soaring food prices. The Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee on Wednesday advanced House-passed legislation that would remove half of the state’s 4% sales tax on food. Lawmakers are aiming to give final approval to the bill on Thursday, one of the final two meeting days of the legislative session. Alabama is one of only three states that tax groceries at the same rate as other purchases. Republican Sen. Sam Jones, the sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, said the measure had gained support this year as the state sees a record budget surplus — partly driven by rising prices causing higher sales-tax collections — and consumer frustration over the cost of food. “Legislators are hearing from their constituents. Folks are feeling the pinch. They see what it’s taking for folks to put food on the table for their families. And that’s why you’ve got more momentum than ever, I believe,” Jones said. Some lawmakers have pushed for decades to remove the tax— which they said hurts low and moderate-income families — but the efforts failed because of the projected loss to education funding and a lack of political appetite for raising other taxes to offset the revenue loss. The advancing legislation calls for a gradual removal of half the tax. The House-passed bill would reduce the 4% tax on food to 3% on Sept. 1 and 2% on Sept. 1, 2025, provided that tax collections to the Education Trust Fund are projected to rise enough to offset the difference. The 4% tax provides more than $600 million annually to the state for education funding. Cutting it in half would cost the education budget an estimated $318 million annually. Jones said lawmakers are creating a study commission to explore the possibility of eventually removing all of the tax. He said that as people save money on grocery taxes, some will spend that money on other purchases and generate other sales tax revenue. The bill allows local governments to also remove the sales tax on food. Jones said counties are seeking the addition of language that would mirror the budget safeguards put in place for the state by linking the removal of the tax to budget growth. “I think everybody recognizes the political pressure to remove the sales tax on food. In many counties, the substantial portion of the sales tax revenue goes to local schools,” said Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Eyeing their share, Alabama cities seek more online tax data
Mayors of Alabama’s largest cities want to open up the hood on the state’s online sales tax program, amid worries that cities that impose high sales tax rates may be losing out on revenue. AL.com reports mayors of the state’s 10 largest cities want state lawmakers this year to mandate more data be provided about online sales taxes. While the combined city, county, and state sales tax rate in most Alabama cities is higher than 9%, the state’s Simplified Sellers Use Tax collects only 8%. Whether traditional sales tax or online tax is collected, the state gets a 4% cut. Cities get 60% of the other half of the 8% online rate, while counties get 40%, with individual amounts determined by population. That’s a good deal for counties because Alabama cities often reap a larger share of local sales tax revenue. Cities and counties fought over how the money was divided in 2018 and 2019. The program generated $634 million in the budget year ended September 30, up 65% over two years. Mayors aren’t yet proposing a re-division. Instead, they say they want figures on where purchases are coming from, so they can compare that to their current shares of online sales tax. “With transparency, we can ensure that our schools, police departments, and road networks are receiving the investments they have earned,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said. No bill to require more data has yet been filed. Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, said he believes mayors want a larger share of the pie. He said that to meet mayors’ demands, the state would have to repeal confidentiality laws that bar disclosure of how much any one taxpayer pays. “No city in Alabama can disclose the amount of sales tax paid by an individual business inside its jurisdiction,” Brasfield said. “That information is private and essential to a business’ success.” The mayors say they need to know the total online sales tax activity originating in their cities, not how much any one business pays. They also argue that the 8% rate is unfair to businesses that must charge higher rates for purchases made at their stores. “We think that cities, counties, school systems, and Alabama taxpayers ought to be able to get a clear picture of our how online sales tax system works in order to have certainty and plan for the future and know that our local small businesses are being treated fairly,” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. Frank Miles, a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Revenue, said state law currently precludes the type of disclosures the mayors might be seeking, because Alabama only collects statewide online sales figures and is barred from collecting local-level data. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
St. Clair County honors Paul Manning on his retirement from county commission
On Thursday, over three hundred attended a retirement party at the St. Clair Arena in Odenville for long-time St. Clair County Commission Chairman Paul Manning. Manning lost re-election to long-time rival Stan Bateman in the May Republican primary. Manning was first elected to the county commission in 1978 and has served on the commission in 36 of the last 44 years. Manning, who has a disability, also ran two businesses: a barbecue restaurant and a gas station while he served on the commission. Prominent Real estate broker Lyman Lovejoy said, “He has been an asset, he and Marie, for so many years. They have been a force.” Sonny Brasfield is the executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA). “It is great to be with you in support of the career of Paul Manning,” Brasfield said. “A measure of whether you have touched people’s lives is how many people are willing to sit out in the cold in honor of you. In all my thirty years with the Association, I have never seen anything like this before. It is a measure of what this man and this family have done for this country.” Brasfield said that the ACCA honored Manning at their summer convention. “It is one thing to come when people want something from you, but the real friends are here where you are leaving office and can’t do anything for them anymore,” Brasfield said. “The Association of County Commissions of Alabama represents the county employees and commissioners of the state. It has been my pleasure to be working with the Association and these commissioners for the last 34 years. The Association of County Commissions of Alabama was created in 1929.” Wayne Johnson with the St. Clair County Veterans Association presented Manning with a framed U.S. flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol at the request of Congressman Mike Rogers. Former St. Clair County Circuit Clerk Annette Manning presented Paul Manning with a letter from U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville honoring Manning on his retirement. “I would like to extend my congratulations to you on your time as St. Clair County Commissioner,” Tuberville wrote. “St. Clair County has experienced great economic growth during these years. This economic expansion was in no small part due to you and your abilities. You have served your state and county well.” “Thank you for letting me stay around for 36 years,” said Paul Manning. “I see Mayors here, I see Councilmembers here, but I also see the other people. I was always honored to represent the people that did not think that they had representation otherwise.” State Rep. Jim Hill presented Manning with a letter of commendation from Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth and a framed state of Alabama flag that has flown over the state capital.” “I am a retiree from Alabama Power, so I have been on the other side of things where I had to get along with politicians, and some were easier to get along with than others,” said St. Clair County Commissioner Tommy Bowers. “I love Paul and the family to death.” Bowers also reminisced about former County Commissioner Jimmy Roberts, who died after 28 years of service on the commission. Bowers announced that the commissioners had named both chambers where the commission meets after Paul Manning and presented the plaque and Manning portrait that will hang in both chambers. Due to the mountain ridge that divides St. Clair County and the difficulty of driving a wagon over that ridge, St. Clair County is the only county in the state to have two county seats: Ashville and Pell City. Prominent Pell City attorney Billy Church said, “Paul, most people have to die to get all these accolades; but all you had to do was to lose an election.” St. Clair County Commissioner Bob Mise presented Manning with a framed St. Clair County flag that has flown over both of the St. Clair County courthouses. Logan Glass is the Vice Chairman of the St. Clair County Republican Party and the Chairman and founder of the St. Clair County Young Republicans. “He was the first to recognize that we were a force in St. Clair County and the first to put his money behind us,” Glass said of Manning. “Paul is a true statement; we don’t have enough of them today. It is no secret that I want to run for office someday, and if I am, I can only hope that I will be as much of a statesman as Paul Manning.” “I appreciate every year that I served, and I appreciate all the people that I have worked with,” Manning said. Manning was also honored by his wife, children, and grandchildren. Manning is married to Marie Manning. Marie Manning is a career educator who has served St. Clair County as a teacher, principal, as well as the elected St. Clair County school superintendent. She is presently ending her tenure on the St. Clair County Board of Education. Marie Manning is the Republican nominee for State school board district 6. She is running unopposed in the November 8 general election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Enjoying leftovers: Sheriffs feed inmates, keep extra cash
In Alabama, the less sheriffs spend on feeding inmates, the more money they get to put in their pockets. For decades, sheriffs have made extra money – sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars – under a Depression-era system by feeding prisoners for only pennies per meal. Critics say the meals can be unhealthy, and a lawsuit against dozens of sheriffs combined with media reports about the practice threaten to end the one-of-a-kind system. Legislators this year approved potential changes that would prevent sheriffs in two counties from keeping the excess money — including one where a former sheriff was jailed after feeding prisoners corndogs while pocketing more than $200,000 — and wider change is possible. “I think everyone agrees that something needs to be done,” said Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama. Republican Sen. Arthur Orr said he is working on a bill to abolish the practice. “This law is from the 1930s. Times change. It’s time we move on into the 21st century,” said Orr. Back when chain gangs were common in the late 1920s, Alabama passed a law that gave sheriffs $1.75 a day from the state to feed each prisoner, and sheriffs got to pocket anything that was left over. Jails in most of Alabama’s 67 counties remain on the system generations later. Sheriffs also get small payments from the state per jail. Some also receive payments from cities and the federal government for holding prisoners, further boosting income. Add up all the money and a dash of frugality, like purchasing low-cost grub and accepting donated food, and sheriffs can wind up with large profits from jailhouse kitchens. Attorney Aaron Littman, who helped sue earlier this year trying to find out how much sheriffs are making off jail food, said lawyers regularly hear complaints about poor living conditions and lousy food in jails. “It’s no way to run government,” said Littman, of the Atlanta-based Southern Center for Human Rights. Alabama is the only state with such a setup, he said. Littman questions the legality of sheriffs pocketing the money. The Southern Center, which advocates for change in the criminal justice system, sued with the nonprofit Alabama Appleseed for Law and Justice in January to make 49 sheriffs release information that would show how much they are making off jail food. Sheriffs have refused, arguing in court that the numbers are personal and private. Some of the amounts have been revealed. Monroe County Sheriff Tom Tate collected “excess” jail feeding funds of $110,458 over three years ending in 2016 — a tidy amount for a south Alabama county with only 22,000 residents and a median family income estimated at $42,335 annually by the Census Bureau, according to an accounting turned over to a plaintiff’s lawyer. In mid-sized Etowah County, where the jail holds 900 people on average, Sheriff Todd Entrekin recently released tax forms showing he made a profit of $672,392 from the jail kitchen in 2015 and 2016. Entrekin made the documents public during a news conference where he denied malnourishing prisoners and denied news reports linking food profits and a beach condominium he and his wife purchased for $740,000 last year. “Nobody here is underfed. Nobody here is mistreated. I will say it’s not the Ritz, so you won’t be treated like a king. You will be treated like someone who has broken the law, which means you won’t get your choice about what or when you eat,” Entrekin told reporters. Last year, a federal judge held Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin in contempt and fined her $1,000 because she took $160,000 from a jail food account. She used to make a personal car loan that later failed, court documents showed. The judge ruled Franklin’s actions violated an agreement reached by former Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett, who was briefly held in his own jail in 2009 after a federal judge held him in contempt for feeding skimpy meals to boost his profit, which Bartlett said was $212,000 over three years. Bartlett went in with another sheriff to purchase a truckload of corndogs for $1,000 and fed them to prisoners for weeks, evidence showed. Franklin argued she wasn’t bound by Bartlett’s agreement, but a court disagreed. Sheriffs in Morgan and neighboring Cullman County in coming years would be required to spend any excess food money on police needs under proposed constitutional amendments approved this year by lawmakers, but voters still must OK the measures. It’s unclear how much is at stake since they, like most other sheriffs, haven’t publicly released detailed information about their operations. Sheriffs’ responses to the suit seeking financial information have been coordinated in part by the Alabama Sheriff’s Association, where longtime executive director Bobby Timmons did not return a message seeking comment. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
