UPDATED: Alabama House breaks logjam, bans payroll deductions for political contributions

Published: Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 2:49 AM ??? Updated: Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 3:46 AM

MONTGOMERY -- After a filibuster spanning two days, the House of Representatives approved a bill early this morning that would stop teachers from paying their dues to the Alabama Education Association by payroll deduction.

Representatives approved the bill in a largely partisan 52-49 vote. Democrats launched an exhaustive filibuster beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday that lasted until nearly 3 a.m. today, trying to block the vote.

"It's not fair for the taxpayers to bear the burden of the cost of collection of the membership dues if they are to be used for political purposes," Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard said.

"The taxpayers should not be saddled with that," Hubbard said.

The bill will go back before the Senate later today. It would prohibit payroll deductions from the paychecks of state, local and public school employees for political action committees or for dues to membership organizations that use the funds to influence elections. The bill also would stop state employees from contributing to the Alabama State Employees Association through payroll deduction, and it would affect other groups.

Republicans said it is improper to use state resources to collect funds for political groups. But Democrats argued the bill was about political retaliation and an attempt to undercut the power of the AEA.

AEA often funds Democratic candidates, and it funded attack ads in the governor's race this year that contributed to Republican Bradley Bryne's defeat by Gov.-elect Robert Bentley. ?

"We think it's a personal vendetta. ... In my opinion, this bill has nothing to do with ethics," said House Minority Leader Craig Ford, D-Gadsden.

Ford said he believes the bill is discriminatory since private industry employees can contribute to PACs.

"You're taking rights away from teachers and state employees," Ford said.

While the GOP has a new majority of 66 members in the House of Representatives, the debate lasted for hours partly because the issue divided Republicans and they were unable to muster the numbers needed to cut off the filibuster. Thirteen Republicans joined with Democrats in voting against the bill.

More than 100 teachers crowded the hallways of the Alabama State House as lawmakers debated the bill.

Hubbard said teachers and state employees still can contribute to the organizations, but they would have to pay their dues by bank draft or other means.

The filibuster held up votes on six of the seven bills in Gov. Bob Riley's ethics reform package.

Also awaiting votes are bills to give subpoena power to the Alabama Ethics Commission, limit gifts from lobbyists, ban transfers among political action committees, require the registration of executive branch lobbyists and ban legislators from holding another government job.

The House goes back into session at 1 p.m.

One of the bills has won final legislative approval and is going to Riley for his signature. The Senate on Tuesday passed a ban on ''pass-through pork," the practice of state lawmakers stashing pots of money at agencies or schools to be distributed later.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured site: So, Why is Wikileaks a Good Thing Again?.

View the original article here

Special session filibuster in Alabama House continues into second day

Published: Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 12:00 AM

A filibuster in the Alabama House of Representatives stretched into Wednesday morning on a bill that would stop teachers from paying dues to the Alabama Education Association by payroll deduction.

Democrats staged a filibuster that lasted more than 12 hours and stretched into the early hours of Wednesday to try to block a vote on the bill.

"I know you're thinking wear them down, but we just changed our tires. We're ready to go," House Minority Leader Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, said.

The legislation would prohibit payroll deductions from the paychecks of state, local and public school employees for political action committees or for dues to membership organizations that use the funds to influence elections. The bill would also affect the Alabama State Employees Association.

Republicans argued it was improper to use public payroll resources to collect dues for those organizations. Democrats argued that the bill is about political retaliation.

House Republicans were six votes short on a motion Tuesday to cut off debate and force a vote on the bill. Six Republicans joined with Democrats in refusing to end debate, striking the ire of some of their fellow Republicans.

"This bill is being killed by rino (Republicans in name only) Republicans," said Senate President pro-tem?Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said. Marsh is the sponsor of the controversial bill.

The Senate adjourned Tuesday night and will reconvene at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Earlier Tuesday, the Senate gave final approval to the first of seven bills Gov. Bob Riley asked them to pass in the special session on ethics reform.

?

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured site: So, Why is Wikileaks a Good Thing Again?.

View the original article here

House Democratic leader Craig Ford says caucus will support most of the special session bills urged by Gov. Bob Riley

Published: Wednesday, December 08, 2010, 8:09 PM ??? Updated: Wednesday, December 08, 2010, 8:25 PM

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, the minority leader of the 39 Democrats in the House of Representatives, said tonight that the Democratic House caucus will support six of the seven bills that Gov. Bob Riley asked lawmakers to pass in this special session that started at Riley's request today.

The exception: Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, which is designed to ban state and local governments and school boards from deducting from employees' salaries dues for unions or other membership organizations or contributions to political action committees.

[RELATED STORY: AEA, teachers speak out against Gov. Bob Riley's ethics proposals on payroll deductions for dues]

Ford said some private companies deduct union dues or other deductions from employees' paychecks and he thinks the bill discriminates against employees of governments and public schools by not allowing dues check-offs for them too.

''The bill of concern to us is the check-off bill. I feel personally that it discriminates against them,'' Ford said.

Referring to the other six bills, Ford said, ''We've read them. We're definitely in support of the ethics bills. We've told the (Republican legislative) leadership we're willing to work in a bipartisan manner.''

The other six bills, among other things, would give subpoena power to the state Ethics Commission and ban transfers of money between political action committees, which can hide a candidate's source of campaign money.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured site: So, Why is Wikileaks a Good Thing Again?.

View the original article here

Ideas Of Renovation Of An Old House With New And Vibrating Modification Thoughts Of Making Ones House To Look Beautiful

Renovation of an old house surely gives it a new look and indeed a great value. It captivates the beholders. It is a new form that has been given to that house, makes a lasting impression. It also gives a message to those who wish to have his own. If you are not in mood to sell your house, you can give it a new look by your own renovating ideas. The idea of yours will definitely give some better look that before. Here I am presenting some beautiful ideas to help you out.

The renovation of your house requires your point to point attention. Here are some points on which you would like to consider.

Paint coating - applying your thoughts of paint coating would be a fine idea. Painting with fine colors would definitely change your way of thinking. You will love with new appearance of your house. Painting the doors and windows would be very important after the wall painting. You must choose a color that may suit your structure of doors and windows and above all your chosen color should also match with the colors of the house. I prefer the shades that do not pinch my eyes. The colors should be of calm sense.

Border - borders make the wall safe form damp. Making a cemented border all around the walls would be an excellent thought. Cemented borders last long and remain durable. Border also protects the wall form rats, termites and other insects.

Ceiling - ceiling has a very important role in a house. Your must give your special attention on the form of ceiling. If the condition of your home ceiling is not good, you must renovate it on the first priority. Ceiling, that protects the dwellers from all odd of the nature, should be made with the high quality material.

Garden - garden is another important place that requires your attention.

Weeding and trimming of unwanted and unidentified grass material make the garden beautiful that will definitely give your house an amazing look. Planting some more flowers plants and arranging them in the right order will improve your house look.

Renovating sideways- the sideways of your house should be cemented or tiled. Colored tiles can be used instead of cement. But both have their own negative and positive you can buy those according to your liking. The sideways should be sloping down to the outdoor so that the rain water should take a place over there. Improving outer look of your house that includes whitewashing, cleaning, removing the debris, discarding the old objects, renovating the swimming pool and fountains surely give a confidence about the beauty of your new house. Only you will have to apply your mind.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Catastrophe.

View the original article here

Man shot in house on Georgia Road in Birmingham

Published: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 7:23 PM ??? Updated: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 7:32 PM

A man was shot inside his house tonight in the 7000 block of Georgia Road.

Officers were called to the house, which is across the street from Gate City Elementary School, shortly after 6 p.m.

John Lloyd said the victim is his neighbor, and he knows him only by the name Will. He said the victim is about 60 years old and lives alone with two dogs.

"I went to see how he was, and I seen all that blood all over the floor," Lloyd said.

Birmingham firefighters took the victim to UAB Hospital, but his condition was not immediately known tonight.

It was unknown if police had a suspect.

"He's a good man. He's a good neighbor," Lloyd said of the victim.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: Beyond Hiroshima - The Non-Reporting of Falluja's Cancer Catastrophe.

View the original article here