THE SOUTHERN TORCH
/ FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 / VOL. 1, NO. 17 / $1.00
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Alabama Legislature passes state budget with $86 million in new taxes
How your legislators voted Throughout the second special session numerous tax increase bills were introduced in both the House and Senate. In particular, the Republican-led Alabama House of Representatives introduced and systematically approved more than $130 million in proposed tax increase bills during this special session. Some of those bills were dead on arrival with the Alabama Senate, meaning only three of the five tax increase bills below were voted upon by both your representative and senator. See how all DeKalb legislators, including those who specifically represent your community voted when faced with legislation calling for more taxes on Alabamians.
Sen. Steve Livingston–SD8: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—YES Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—YES Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—YES Bill to increase auto title tax—NO VOTE IN SENATE Bill to increase tax on car rentals—NO VOTE
Sen. Clay Scofield–SD9: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—NO Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—NO Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—NO Bill to increase auto title tax—NO VOTE IN SENATE Bill to increase tax on car rentals—NO VOTE
Sen. Phil Williams–SD10: By Joseph M. Morgan joseph@southerntorch.com
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Less than two weeks away from the new fiscal year, after a 6-month stalemate and two special legislative sessions, Alabama lawmakers finally passed a state budget Wednesday night. That budget will cost Alabama taxpayers $86 million. With Republican legislators unable at the end of a second special session to reach an agreement on where to cut state spending in order to pass a budget, lawmakers chose to raise taxes instead to fill the $200 million shortfall in the 2016 General Fund Budget. In total, lawmakers approved about $166 million in new revenue for the General Fund Wednesday night,
covering most of the projected $200 million budget shortfall. Legislators voted to raise the cigarette tax by 25 cents a pack, generating an estimated $70 million a year. Alabama Senators were able to avoid a number of additional proposed House tax increases by transferring $80 million in use tax revenue from the Education Trust Fund to the General Fund. In addition to the tax on tobacco, new taxes on pharmacies and nursing homes will generate a total of about $16 million a year for Medicaid. In an unprecedented move since seizing control of the Alabama Legislature in 2010, Republicans in the Alabama House last week began proposing tax increase after tax increase as conservatives
across the state observed as their GOP-led House of Representatives approved more than $130 million of tax legislation in one day. Virtually all of the tax-increase legislation originated among a group of Republican leaders in the House. Roles were reversed for much of the second special session as Democrats at times fought off Republican bills to raise taxes. Many of the House bills did not survive the more conservative, entrenched Alabama Senate. There were a handful of conservative anti-tax legislators that fought against the budget and its new taxes until the end, including DeKalb County legislators from both the House and Senate. To see how your legislators voted refer to our chart adjacent to this story.
Bill to increase the cigarette tax—NO Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—NO Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—NO Bill to increase auto title tax—NO VOTE IN SENATE Bill to increase tax on car rentals—NO VOTE
Rep. Tommy Hanes–HD23: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—NO Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—NO Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—NO Bill to increase auto title tax—NO Bill to increase tax on car rentals—NO
Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter–HD24: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—YES Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—YES Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—DID NOT CAST VOTE Bill to increase auto title tax—YES Bill to increase tax on car rentals—YES
Rep. Kerry Rich–HD26: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—YES Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—YES Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—YES Bill to increase auto title tax—YES Bill to increase tax on car rentals—YES
Rep. Will Ainsworth–HD27: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—NO Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—NO Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—NO Bill to increase auto title tax—NO Bill to increase tax on car rentals—NO
Rep. Becky Nordgren–HD29: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—NO Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—NO Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—NO Bill to increase auto title tax—YES Bill to increase tax on car rentals—YES
Rep. Richard Lindsey–HD39: Bill to increase the cigarette tax—NO Bill to increase taxes on nursing homes—NO Bill to increase taxes on pharmacies—NO Bill to increase auto title tax—NO Bill to increase tax on car rentals—NO
See our guide to Boom Days, page 3 Whitt wins District 4 Constable seat, general election in Nov. to determine District 1 outcome By Joseph M. Morgan joseph@southerntorch.com
A primary vote took place on Tuesday for a special election to fill two vacated DeKalb County Constable positions— DeKalb County Constable Districts 1 and 4. Because only Republicans qualified for District 4, the primary winner in that race, Billy J. Whitt, will be the next constable
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in that district. In the District 1 race the primary established which Democrat and Republican candidates will represent their parties in the District 1 general election to be held sometime in mid-November. George Roberts is the Democrat winner of the District 1 primary and Kyle Pike was the winner on the Republican ticket.
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