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A pair of decisions by the Alabama legislature is set to consolidate power away from voters and give more authority to the state government. Amendment 1 would take away the voters’ right to elect members to the state school board. A bill still running through the legislature, SB83, would abolish the State Auditor and transfer their responsibilities to the Examiners of Public Accounts Department.
Amendment 1 has already passed the legislature and is set to be on the ballot on March 3rd. The measure was sponsored by Republican Senator Del Marsh of the 12th Senate District. It passed the state senate with 30 members supporting it. The measure passed the state house by a vote of 78-21. Overall, 18 Democrats and 3 Republicans voted against the bill. Governor Kay Ivey supports the idea.
One of the arguments for the amendment is to take politics out of education decisions. I find this dubious at best. You are not exactly taking politics out of the equation if you have politicians appointing the school board members. House Ways and Means Education Chairman Bill Poole mentioned taking the Rs and Ds out of the decisions. Do we really expect a partisan legislature to make nonpartisan decisions? There is absolutely nothing in the history of the Alabama legislature to suggest that it is going to happen.
My biggest concern is the opposite of what Mr. Poole stated, and that is politics injected even further into our education decisions. I don’t want to see politicians promoting their social stances in our education department. Our state is already struggling in this area, we don’t need politicians playing games with our children’s future.
SB83 is a bill that looks vindictive on the surface. The bill is attempting to abolish the state auditor. Proponents say it will save the state money. Our current auditor, James Zeigler, disagrees. I tend to side with the auditor over a legislative body that has struggled the balance the books in the past.
Zeigler was a notable opponent of the governor’s plan to build a toll bridge across Mobile Bay. He led a large Facebook group that opposed the plan and ultimately helped get it scrapped. Even though the bill would not affect Mr. Zeigler directly, the move definitely appears petty. A vote is expected on February 25th, which happens to be Fat Tuesday. The timing appears suspicious as well. Most of Mobile and Baldwin County will be distracted on that day.
One is left to wonder if the attempt to get rid of the auditor’s office is retribution for Mr. Zeigler’s strong opposition to the toll plan.
The trend is clear. The Alabama legislature wants to appoint everyone in power and take decisions out of voters’ hands. Given our state government’s history of corruption and partisan politics, this is a recipe for disaster. I would rather keep that power in the hands of voters.