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2008 Regular Legislative Session
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
TVA in Lieu of Tax Payments — A new bill addressing the TVA payments to dry counties (HB858 by Rep. Jeff McLaughlin) is expected to be considered by the House County and Municipal Government Committee on Tuesday. This version of the legislation gradually transfers the growth in the state’s liquor taxes to dry counties and an equal amount of TVA payments is transferred from the dry counties to those served by the TVA.
While this approach would protect the monies paid to the dry counties, and hopefully put an end to the battle over the last few years, it would result in level funding for dry counties. The counties would not receive any growth from either funding source in future years.
County officials from dry counties are encouraged to contact their House members, or the members of the County and Municipal Government Committee, to express their opinions. The members are: Chairman Rep. Bill Dukes, Reps. Randy Wood, Steve McMillan, Mike Curtis, Owen Drake, Chris England, Earl Hilliard, Richard Laird, Jim McClendon, Frank McDaniel, Jeff McLaughlin, Jeremy Oden, Rod Scott, Butch Taylor, Pebblin Warren and Jack Williams.
Trust Funds — HB481 by Rep. Bill Dukes will be considered by the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. This is the ACCA-supported bill that would allow counties to establish trust funds to finance the cost of providing benefits to retirees and enhance county ability to provide benefits to retired employees and comply with the so-called GASB 45 rules. Please contact the committee members and ask that they SUPPORT this bill in committee on Tuesday. The members are: Chairman Sen. Wendell Mitchell, Sens. Scott Beason, Kim Benefield, Linda Coleman, Bobby Denton, Larry Dixon, Vivian Figures, Richard Lindsey, Larry Means, Myron Penn, Jim Preuitt, Quinton Ross, Harri Anne Smith, Zeb Little and Jabo Waggoner.
Tag and Registration Fee for Boat Trailers — HB734 and HB735, both by Rep. Joe Faust, will be considered in the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee on Tuesday at 9 a.m. These bills propose a tag and registration fee for boat trailers, with a portion of the proceeds paid to be paid to the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads for distribution to rescue squads in the state. As has been reported earlier, this legislation would divert revenue from these tags away from road and bridge activities. Since this is a new tag, it will not reduce current revenues, but this proposal violates an important ACCA policy position that highway user fees must be protected for highway expenses.
Please contact committee members and ask that they vote to “INDEFINITELY POSTPONE” this legislation. The members of the committee are: Chairman Rep. Thomas Jackson, Reps. Steve Hurst, Mike Hubbard, Robert Bentley, Spencer Collier, Randy Davis, Chad Fincher, Alan Harper, Ralph Howard, Jamie Ison, Marc Keahey, Benjamin Lewis, A.J. McCampbell and Henry White.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Sales Tax on Food — HB274 by Rep. John Knight, which removes the state sales tax from most unprepared food, was approved by the House of Representatives by a razor-thin margin. The bill authorizes, but does not require, counties to remove the local portion of the sales tax on the same products. The legislation is expected to be considered by the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee on Wednesday.
The legislation raises concern for county governments because it will almost certainly result in local pressure to remove the local sales tax. County commissions, however, do not possess the authority to impose any other taxes to replace the lost revenue. The Association will continue to monitor this legislation, but county officials are encouraged to contact their Senators to express any concerns they have about the possible loss of revenue.
The members of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee are: Chairman Sen. Hank Sanders, Sens. Phil Poole, Bobby Denton, Quinton Ross, Roger Bedford, Tom Butler, Linda Coleman, Larry Dixon, Vivian Figures, Jimmy Holley, Ted Little, Del Marsh, Harri Anne Smith, Rodger Smitherman, Wendell Mitchell, Zeb Little and Jabo Waggoner.
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