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From The Editor
By Adam Jones
January 23, 2003

   The future of Alabama is in the governor's hands -- literally.

   Last week, Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform presented its final report for change to Gov. Bob Riley.

   The independent Citizen's Commission, chaired by Secretary of State Jim Bennett, has traveled the state the past few months talking to citizens of Alabama on ways to change Alabama for good. Imagine that, giving citizens power over their government.

   I'm sure Bennett could write a novel on how informed and insightful citizens can be when asked their opinion in a meaningful forum, but that's another column.

   What ACCR gave Riley is a document calling for wholesale reform to Alabama's 1901 constitution.

   Thomas Corts, president of ACCR and Samford University, (who should've run for governor and should in the future) said the report is an "invaluable resource for proponents of reform."

   Although gallons of ink have been written in the last 100 years highlighting the need for reform, Riley now has a clear, reform-by-reform map on what needs to be done.

Some of the reforms mentioned in the document are:

• Granting counties, cities and towns the necessary authority to decide local matters of governance without requiring prior approval of the state legislature, also known as home rule.

• Requiring all tax increases proposed by local governments to be approved by the people affected.

• Strengthening the governor's veto powers, including item vetoes in budget bills and requiring more votes for legislative override. Currently, the governor has no such power. If a higher vote than a simple majority was required to override vetoes, former governors Jim Folsom or Albert Brewer would have reformed Alabama years ago.

• Addressing Alabama's immoral and unwieldy tax structure. The regressive tax structure, which kicks in when a family makes more than $4,600 a year, the lowest threshold in the nation, is in desperate need of change.

• Requiring the governor and lieutenant governor to run as a team, much like the president and vice president of the United States. Why not? The lieutenant governor has been stripped of so much power by Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, that the office is nothing more than a title.

• Granting legislative and executive branches the power, unfettered by the Alabama Constitution, to promote economic development. The last reform appears odd, but the first amendment to the constitution forbids the state from doing anything to promote economic development.

   Of course, governors and legislatures get around that by amending the constitution some 700 times.

   With businesses of Alabama teaming up to lobby for reform in the legislature, Alabama could be poised for change.

   Riley has talked a good game. The only thing that stands in the way is special interests who are the puppeteers of the legislature.

   They don't like change. They've been happy with Alabama. The Alabama Farmer's Federation likes for their big landownders to pay pennies-on-the-dollar for their huge tracts of land.

   The Alabama Education Association loves for teachers to get raises built into the Constitution, taking precious dollars from the rest of education. Riley lost his first battle. Barron controls the Senate as pro tem despite Riley's efforts to dethrone him.

   If Riley uses this report as part of his agenda for reform, it will be a long uphill battle, but it will be a battle Alabama needs him to wage.

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