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Alabama Scene
My friend Dr. Paul Hubbert of the AEA must have trained at one of those jumping-throughhoops schools because for years he has been a master at getting legislators to jump through hoops. But last week Dr. Hubbert showed that he not only had trained legislators to do his beck and call…but members of the State Board of Education as well. In an astonishing vote at a board meeting in Decatur, the members by a 5-4 margin voted to give Dr. Renee Culverhouse a contract to serve as interim chancellor of the two-year college system. This is the same Dr. Culverhouse who during her tenure as Gadsden State president hired more legislators and kin and friend of legislators than any other president in the state. The vote was a slap in the face of Gov. Bob Riley, who is seeking legislation to ban double dipping by legislators. But why a majority of the board voted as they did…in defiance of all logic…you need look no further than the office of Dr. Hubbert on Dexter Avenue. When he says jump, the only thing legislators (and school board members ) say is "how high?" * * * Not long ago the Alabama Legislature voted themselves a record pay increase and now comes word that a goodly number of those Democrats who pushed for the raise have been on a spending spree redecorating their offices. Understand, they are not doing it with their pay raise…they are putting that in their pockets…they are doing it at your expense. It seemed only right that the first of the lawmakers to get into the interior decorating business was Rep. Demetrius Newton, D-Birmingham, who sponsored the pay raise. Newton is speaker pro tem of the House, and among his perks is a state car and full-time driver. To say he is living high on the hog is an understatement. Records show Newton spent $2,165 for artwork, $759 for three mirrors and $495 for a settee, among other things. * * * The slavery apology resolution… I should say resolutions… are still in the Legislature after the two chambers could not agree on one critical point- -should the resolution include a statement that under no circumstances could it ever be used to trigger a law suit seeking financial reparations for descendants of slaves. Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, insists that provision should not be in the resolution…and the Senate has approved his proposal. Meanwhile in the House a similar resolution which includes the "no reparation lawsuit" language has passed. When the Senate resolution reached the House, it was sent to a committee; when the House resolution reached the Senate it followed the same route. It will take a conference committee to work out the differences. Bottom line: The apology resolution still has a hurdle or two to climb before being approved. And behind the scenes there is at least some talk of the Legislature passing the buck and submitting the apology resolution to a vote of the people. * * * If you are keeping score, the current regular session of the Legislature is on pace to be the most unproductive in history. Due largely to a lock down in the Senate, the Legislature reached the half-way mark of the session last week and thus far only three bills have been sent to the governor for signature. * * * If you can believe the results of a Mobile Press Register- University of South Alabama poll, the battle for the Democratic nomination for president in Alabama has boiled down to a two-candidate contest… U. S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, and U. S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
The poll showed Clinton leading with 33 percent, Obama not far back with 25. The other contenders got only negligible support.
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