the 12:24 report
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
A second Honor Flight South Alabama will take off Saturday, Sept. 12 with a plane-load of Mobile-area World War II veterans for Washington, D.C., to visit the national memorial dedicated to their service.
Honor Flight — part of the national Honor Flight Network — arranged a highly successful one-day chartered trip for Mobile area veterans on May 6, said Pete Riehm, the group's operations officer.
"We forever owe a debt of gratitude to them," Riehm said. "A lot of them really don't have the means to make a trip to Washington."
Gregory kicks off re-election campaign
Mobile City Councilwoman Gina Gregory will kick off her re-election campaign as the District 7 representative at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 26 at Wintzell’s restaurant, 6700 Airport Boulevard.
“I’ve worked to revitalize parks, neighborhoods and business corridors and resurfaced miles of city streets,” said Gregory. “But this is just the beginning of what I hope to accomplish as District 7’s representative."
According to Gregory, road widening and intersection improvement projects are underway, along with plans for more sidewalks and park improvements.
She has no announced opposition as yet in municipal elections set for Aug. 25.
Shelby on Sotomayer pick
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby on President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court:
"The Senate must be committed to confirming judges who will interpret the Constitution and the law without prejudice and with the utmost respect for the rule of law. I look forward to reviewing Judge Sotomayor's record to ensure that she has the qualifications and temperament necessary to be the next justice on our Supreme Court."
At least on this matter, more ears will be attuned to what Alabama's other GOP senator, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, has to say about Sotomayor. Although barring a major surprise, Sotomayor is a virtual certainty for confirmation, as the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking minority member, Sessions is positioned to determine whether the hearings are a victory lap or a rough ride.
As well as anyone, Sessions understands the political rough-housing that can occur in the committee hearings. As a nominee of President Ronald Reagan for a federal judgeship more than 20 years ago, Sessions was battered and ultimately sunk when U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., joined with Democratic U.S. Sens. Teddy Kennedy, Howard Metzenbaum, Joe Biden and Howell Heflin in defeating the nomination.
Specter's switch to the Democratic Party weeks ago elevated Sessions to his current rank on Judiciary. In Mobile Monday at a Memorial Day ceremony in Magnolia Cemetery, Sessions said Specter told him that he has regretted a few votes over the course of his career and that he was wrong in voting against Sessions for the judgeship.
Up a different creek, no time to paddle
Bradley Byrne is expected Wednesday morning at the 5 Rivers Mobile Delta Resource Center on the Causeway to announce his GOP candidacy for governor in 2010 elections. Asked if he chose the location because he liked to kayak from there, Byrne noted dryly that he hasn't had much time for kayaking since taking over management of the state's embattled two-year college system two years ago.
Riley expands jobs' incentives
Gov. Bob Riley signed a new law Tuesday that he believes will help the state recruit new jobs. The bill allows the state to provide "incentives" in recruiting industries other than manufacturing. Riley pointed out a connection between the state's recent success in landing "mega-projects" like the ThyssenKrupp steel plant in north Mobile County and the state's ranking as the 13th highest in the nation for income growth.
“We’ve got to expand the playing field and improve our ability to compete for higher-paying jobs in some of the key growth industries (and) that’s what this bill does,” said Riley. “It re-tools our economic development strategy and lays the foundation to move us forward and come out of this recession stronger than before.”
With the new law,
economic developers will
be able to use incentives
to attract corporate
headquarters, high-tech
research and
development facilities,
and jobs in the newly
emerging “green” economy.
Alabama is competing for projects in these industries that have the potential to bring 7,000 new jobs to the state, according to the governor's office.
“Without this change in our incentives law we were fighting for these projects with one hand tied behind our back,” Riley said.
The new law was proposed by the governor during his State of the State Address at the beginning of the 2009 legislative session. He asked state Rep. John Knight and Sen. Hank Sanders to sponsor it.
“I believe that years from now, we will look back on this moment and realize that this new law I’m signing today played a critically important role in Alabama’s economic renewal,” Riley said.
"It comes at a pivotal time in our history, when our state and every state is challenged by the global economy. The key to our recovery lies here, in being able to recruit new, high-paying jobs, in bringing new opportunity to our people. That’s how we’ll get our economy moving again.”
Pelham joins James campaign
Tim James Tuesday named Steve Pelham of Montgomery as manager of his gubernatorial campaign. Pelham is a veteran Alabama political operative and Bush administration appointee, most recently State Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Office.
“Steve Pelham has extensive campaign and management experience in Alabama, as well as a record of winning campaigns ," said James. "He’s a great addition to our team.”
Prior to Pelham’s eight years with USDA, including a brief stint as Director of Legislative and Public Affairs, he served seven years as State Director for former U.S. Rep. Terry Everett (R-AL).
His 20 years’ experience in federal and Alabama politics include working for McCain-Palin 2008, Bush-Cheney 2004 and the National Advance Team for former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. In addition, he managed each of Congressman Everett’s campaigns between 1992 and 2000.
Dauphin Island airport gets grant
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has awarded a grant to the Dauphin Island Airport for $326,307 to rehabilitate its apron.
Convenience store in historic district?
The Architectural Review Board recently tabled a proposal for a convenience store/gas station near Elmira, Selma and Broad Streets to give the neighbors an opportunity to meet with the developers regarding the project. Councilman William Carroll has set a meeting at All Saints Church Tuesday, May 26, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will take place inside the church. Parking is available behind the church.
First African-American Heritage Trail Tour Rolls
The first riding tour of the African-American Heritage Trail rolls through Mobile Tuesday, May 26, immediately after the City Council meeting.
Each of the 40 sites along the trail represents a business, organization or individual who helped form the rich history of African Americans in Mobile. Some of the places marked include AfricaTown, Creole Firehouse
#1, Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Magnolia Cemetery, and Central/Dunbar High School.
Fred keeps the beat
Mobile City Councilman Fred Richardson will hold a Beats 32 and 35 Community Meeting Thursday, May 28, 2009 at Mobile Infirmary's Hearin-Chandler Auditorium, starting at 7 p.m.
Key City department heads and Public Safety officials will be in attendance. At this meeting, citizens will have the opportunity to help prioritize a strategic plan for the community.
Shelby: Flat tax needed
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has introduced legislation to establish a flat tax on all income. Since his first election to the Senate in 1986, Shelby has been an advocate of the flat tax and has introduced similar legislation during each congress.
“Our tax code and its accompanying regulations total tens of thousands of pages, which are complicated and confusing," said Shelby. "Americans want a simple, common-sense solution. That is why I have introduced the SMART Act - the Simplified, Manageable And Responsible Tax Act.”
“Given today’s economic difficulties, this bill is needed now more than ever," he continued. "It is time to end the unnecessary headaches and inefficiencies of our current tax code. The SMART Act would do so in a manner that promotes job creation and prosperity in our country.”
The SMART Act establishes a flat income tax of 17 percent on all income. The only exemptions would be personal exemptions of:
- $13,090 for a single person;
- $16,710 for a head of household;
- $26,180 for a married couple filing jointly;
- and $5,640 for each dependent.
The allowances would be indexed to the consumer price index in order to prevent inflation from raising the tax burden. To prevent the double-taxation of income, earnings from savings would not be included as taxable income, resulting in an immediate tax cut for virtually all taxpayers, added Shelby.
If the SMART Act was in place today, taxpayers would file a return the size of a postcard, said Shelby.
Other advantages, said Shelby, were no more long hours spent poring over convoluted IRS forms; no more fees paid for professional tax assistance; an end to the complexities and inequities of the current tax system which would be replaced by a system that treats every taxpayer equally and represents a massive reduction in the tax burden carried by hardworking Americans.
Under the SMART Act, businesses would pay the same 17 percent rate on the difference (if positive) between revenue and expenses. This would allow businesses to redirect resources away from tax compliance and toward expanding their businesses and creating jobs, Shelby said.
