Alabama, Republicans, and Taxes
I discussed Governor Bob Riley's proposal for a dramatic increase in Alabama state taxes a little over a week ago (September 2, 2003). Riley is a conservative, evangelical Christian, and his argument in favor of the tax increases was explicitly theological, based on a masters thesis written at Beeson Divinity School.
The New York Times reports today that "Alabama Voters Crush Tax Plan Sought by Governor.". Sixty-eight percent of voters opposed the tax plan.
Mr. Riley is widely expected to call a session of the legislature next week to draft a drastically curtailed spending plan. His aides said the austerity measures needed to balance the budget were likely to include cuts of more than 20 percent at some agencies, steep cuts in money for school textbooks and supplies and cuts in money for already overcrowded prisons that could force officials to grant early parole to thousands of nonviolent felons.
The voters of Alabama have spoken loudly, but they may not have spoken well. I hope they can live with the consequences. Some would say that we get the kind of government we deserve, and that may be true for those of us who are comfortable. But I fear that the poor and disadvantaged are not so fortunate.
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On issues such as this where they are making drastic cuts in spending on schools and text books, the tax payers of Alabama won't notice what they've done until they realize that their children are not competitive in the marketplace of jobs. By the time they realize that they've saved some money at the expense of their children's future, it will be too late. In my opinion, this is an area you touch at the expense of everything else. What price tag do you put on the ability of an individual to make a good living and be competitive? That's priceless. It also comes back to strengthen the economy in so many countless ways.
What the citizens will notice right away is the effect of releasing many of the non-violent criminals due to staff shortages at the state prisons. Perhaps many of those will be repeat offenders.