Alabama State Senator Paul Bussman will be holding a press conference Friday during which he will announce his opposition to the constitutional amendment coming up for vote on Sept. 18.
“I’ve called this press conference because I feel that it’s important I step up and say where I stand,” Senator Bussman told Yellowhammer by phone on Thursday afternoon. “As leaders, we need to try to educate the public. Right now they’re only getting one side.”
The budget for fiscal year 2012-2013, which begins Oct. 1, currently has a gaping $145 million hole. The legislature has proposed addressing the shortfall for the next three years by tapping into the Alabama Trust Fund. In order for this to happen, voters would have to pass a constitutional amendment allowing the transfer of funds which total $437 million over the three year period.
Senator Bussman told Yellowhammer he sees other avenues to balance the state’s general fund budget. “I believe there are alternatives to this. We haven’t addressed all the issues we can with regard to Medicaid and prisons, and until we do I’m not comfortable taking money from Alabama Trust Fund.”
The press conference is open to the public. Details are below.
Sen. Bussmann Press Conference
When: Friday, Sept. 7 at 10:00
Where: Homewood Public Library | 1721 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209
I will be voting NO as well but he should have not have voted for it in the first place!
Yes, the majority has done nothing to bring substantive change to the state. They’ve not stabilized the retirement system, didn’t repeal wasteful benefit programs like DROP, have not spent any time dealing with the effort to curb illegal immigration, have not dealt with serious budget shortfalls without raising taxes, didn’t do what they said they would do with the handshake that we elected them on in 2010, it’s ridiculous and i’m mad as heck.
Why should we trust them now, after they’ve let us down time and time again. and have not done ANYTHING THAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO WHEN WE ELECTED THEM IN 2010. And i agree connie, all they’ve said is “let’s pass this amendment, then we won’t have to do anything for three years, no way we’ll make any more reforms if the voters approve this.”
I also wonder how in the world the ETF will repay what they owe, especially considering the ETF and the general fund are completely separate and the ETF will have the money to make that repayment, but only because of that fiscally irresponsible rolling reserve bill that this republican majority passed. Yet another thing they dropped the ball on.
Right on connie, if we haven’t addressed any other ideas that need to be addressed by the state legislature, then that will absolutely mean our national debt is screwed, they are directly related to one another.
Oh, yeah, and that campaign theme “Keep Alabama Working” is blatantly scary and that is just not fair. And that liar that runs childrens hospital is in on the conspiracy too. Let’s fire him, he must be a RINO, and those volunteer firefighters that support this too, RINO RINO all of them.
Fiscal and legal analyst Zeanah is right, there’s no legal obligation to repay it, and the governor and leadership have told us they will ensure repayment, but they’ve never done one little thing they said they would do, so why should we believe them now. RINOS. Throw the bums out now. Hope and change my rear end.
Connie, you absolutely nailed most of of my concerns, but I will add one more.
The grassroot groups that oppose this raid on our trust fund have repeatedly asked Gov. Bentley or anyone who supports this bill to have a public debate prior to the vote, but what do we get?
We are heading to the polls to change our constitution for years to come. Doesn’t this deserve the same public debate that we had with Gov. Riley regarding Amendment One in 2003? Why the reluctance? I still disagree with Gov. Riley in many areas but at least he had the fortitude to publicly defend his position with debate.
This certainly isn’t what we expected when we worked hard to flip the State House in 2010.
There are serious problems with this Amendment and plenty of blame to go around.
According to news reports the invitation for Monday’s fundraiser at the Summit Club to support this Amendment said “the reception is for honoring Gov. Robert Bentley, Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey, House Speaker Mike Hubbard… and Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh…”
• Why do they employ the term “Keep Alabama Working”? It sounds like a scare tactic frequently employed by the other party.
• Why have they used these same scare tactics in the wording of the Amendment: “to prevent the mass release of prisoners from Alabama prisons, and to protect critical health services to Alabama children, elderly, and mothers by…”
• Why is this the only item on the ballot, an expensive election for which the taxpayers of Alabama will be honored with the fundraising? (We’ll also foot the bill if a special session is called – to address a shortfall in the budget!)
• Everyone expected deep, painful cuts and reforms during the last session. Why didn’t they make them?
• According to an analysis prepared by Elois Zeanah, President of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women, there is no legal obligation to repay it. Why?
• She further notes: “The $437.4 million effectively redirects the repayment of 437.4 million owed by the Education Trust Fund to the ETF Rainy Day fund within the ATF. This ETF debt must be repaid over the next three years.” How?
• Why are we being asked to raid the Trust Fund three consecutive years? (If we can’t figure out a better way to do what needs to be done in Alabama– and there are other ideas that have not yet been addressed, I have no trust in our current leadership and no hope for our national debt.)
• And the biggest question of all: Why is the delay at addressing the problem postponed until AFTER the next legislative election?
In that I will go to the polls on September 18th, they’ve got my vote: NO way
How many senators/representatives thoroughly read a bill an hour before Session wraps up? When your GF chairman hands you a bill and says, “Trust me.” you trust him.
That must be why Bussman voted for the amendment to pass the legislature. If this was true principle, pretty sure you should oppose these bills instead of vote for them BEFORE you start having press conferences. Guess Bussman was for it before he was against it.
Good to see a conservative acting conservative. I think most of us know this amendment will probably pass with the amount of support it is receiving in certain areas. The hospital my wife works at has been running a get out the vote program for a month reminding people to register and vote yes for the amendment. State employee unions are pushing hard as well. Find it sad that we finally take Goat Hill and this is what our leaders give us. An amendment with no re-payment plan and fear-tactic language.
correct. this is the easy way to re-election in 2014.
Hammond, Demarco, Dr. Dr. Bentley, this crap is NOT WHAT WE PUT YOU IN OFFICE TO DO.
there’s nothing more putrid than republicans acting like democrats.
you make the people who got you in office look like fools.
fool me once…….
Well said Senator Bussman.