By Chris Peeks June 15, 2023
Another legislative session in Montgomery has come and gone. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The second verse is the same as the first. Lots of bills get passed, but what is accomplished?
It's been 24 years since Governor Siegelman got the lottery referendum on the ballot, and to this day, the citizens still do not have a say. But that is the least of our concerns. Alabama is ranked 44th in the Union of states to live in. We rank 47th in education. We rank 52nd in dental health behind the territories. These are just a few staggering statistics showing Alabama lagging so far behind.
The troubling thing is Governor Ivey just signed the largest budget in State history. Now the good thing about that is it means wages are up, so there's more tax revenue. So that begs the question, what are they doing with this money? Because it's not improving the standard of living.
Another eyebrow-raising figure is almost 20% of the state's population is a public employee. That is one central bureaucracy. Until we trim the fat, so to speak, we are never going to make any improvements. They keep throwing good money after bad, and we keep electing the same people cycle after cycle.
Enough is enough. Wake up, Alabama! If they are an incumbent, vote against them. They are part of the problem, not part of the solution. In the subsequent cycles, we must send a clear message and throw the bums out.
Otherwise, expect to get the same pork barrel projects. Of course, fat does retain all the flavor, and our legislature is eating it up.
Chris Peeks
Reporter and Columnist
Alabama Political Contributor