Volume
1 Issue 2 - April 2001
Printable
Version
VOTER
NEWS NETWORK ORGANIZERS TO SPEND $1 MILLION FOR ALABAMA'S 2002 GENERAL
ELECTION
Voter News Network organizers, including Birmingham-based banker and publisher Donald V. Watkins, met in Tampa, Florida last January and committed to contribute $1 million in personal political donations for the November, 2002 elections in Alabama. The donations will go to candidates for state and federal offices and related election activities. Voter News Network will not donate monies to political parties. The $1 million level of political contributions from individuals and their families will rank Voter News Network leaders number five on the top 400 list of political donors in the nation, according to the March/April 2001 issue of Mother Jones Magazine (www.motherjones.com). Voter News Network leaders, who already contribute heavily in the political arena, will channel their donations to voter registration and education activities, get-the-vote-out efforts aimed at independent voters, and to candidates supported by Voter News Network. Voter News Network will also ask the subscribers in our 155,000 database to participate in the fundraising at whatever level is comfortable for them. This participation may well increase the level of donations beyond the $1 million committed by Voter News Network's organizers. Voter News Network will grade candidates for statewide and federal offices against established criteria designed to measure their sensitivity to the core values of independent and swing voters. Voter News Network will inform its base of voters of the grade each candidate receives at 7:00 p.m. on the Monday evening before the Tuesday general elections. The report card on candidates will be posted on our web site at www.VoterNewsNetwork.com.
Editorial by Donald V. Watkins:
REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM PARKER FIGHTS TO PROTECT PROPERTY OWNER'S RIGHTS
Alabama State Representative William Parker (D-Birmingham) is waging a fierce fight in the Legislature to protect property owners' rights. In February, the Alabama House of Representatives' Banking and Insurance Committee approved, on an 11-3 vote, a bill that would reduce Alabama property owners' one year right to redeem property in foreclosure. Representative Parker vigorously objected to the bill. Property owners in Alabama have enjoyed this statutory right of redemption for over 30 years. The proposed legislation would chop this right down to six months for most landowners. The state's one year right of redemption law annoys many in the banking industry. The industry wants to acquire clear title to foreclosed properties quickly. The industry initially sought to reduce the redemption period to 90 days. Rep. Parker was outraged by this 75 percent reduction in the statutory redemption period. Members of the House Banking Committee attempted to pacify Parker and other opponents of House Bill #125 by limiting the rollback period to six months rather than 90 days. Rep. Parker was still fuming when he realized that the proposed legislation carved out special protections for rich and powerful agri-business landowners in Alabama. Large farmers, foresters and ranchers will retain their one year right of redemption, while residential property owners will experience the full blow of the reduced property rights. Rep. Parker believes that this class-based difference in treatment of property owners amounts to "affirmative action" for the rich and powerful. We agree. The legislature should kill this kind of "affirmative action" legislation. It is an embarrassing piece of legislation. The banking industry presented no real justification for slicing off one half of the statutory property rights protection period from residential landowners, while continuing to clothe the rich and powerful with their full statutory rights. Rep. Parker, who is a first term legislator, has developed a well-deserved reputation for protecting the rights of Alabamians. During last year's session, Parker defeated a ''legal loan-sharking'' bill sponsored by the payday lending industry. The legislation would have allowed check cashers and payday lenders to receive up to 1,200 percent returns on small loans to retired and working class people. He also is fighting vigorously to pass a bill this session that will prohibit trains from blocking railroad crossings for more than five minutes. Bravo William Parker!
SHAIA NO LONGER CANDIDATE FOR UA TRUSTEE
Last month, Voter News Network reported that several very powerful political forces were uniting for the specific purpose of defeating Jacque Shaia's confirmation to the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees. We have learned that Shaia is stepping down and has submitted her resignation to Board Chairperson Sid McDonald. In our report, Voter News Network noted this as a specific Senate item to watch. Shaia would have been the first University of Alabama at Birmingham graduate to serve as a board member.
WATKINS ADDRESSED ALABAMA HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS
Voter News Network's publisher, Donald V. Watkins, addressed the Alabama House Republican delegation on March 21, 2001 at its regularly scheduled luncheon. Mr. Watkins identified several key legislative issues of mutual interest to black voters and Republicans. Voter News Network focuses on pocketbook issues such as tax reform, health care, quality education and economic development.
ASHCROFT ADDS LAWYERS TO VOTING RIGHTS SECTION
In the aftermath of Florida's well-publicized allegations of voting abuses in last fall's presidential election, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has announced that he is adding eight new attorneys to the Justice Department's Voting Rights Section. The new attorneys will beef up the Department's capability to monitor elections and perform other enforcement work. The Voting Rights Section currently employs 40 attorneys.
SIEGELMAN'S SPECIAL SESSION OF LEGISLATURE COMES UP EMPTY
Alabama Governor Don Seigelman's Special Legislative Session crashed and burned on March 5, 2001 when it ended with none of the Governor's bills passed. The session was called in February to address a proration funding crisis for K-12 schools and colleges and universities arising earlier that month. After the Governor's proration announcement, a Montgomery, Alabama Circuit Judge ordered that most of the funding for K-12 be shielded from the proration cuts. The order, which was upheld by the Alabama Supreme Court on March 14, would make it necessary to cut more of the state's higher education budget. Some experts predict that higher education could face cuts of up to 18 percent. Siegelman introduced a package of bills, which he said addressed the proration crisis. None of his bills passed. The session cost taxpayers an estimated $10,000. The state still languishes in a proration crisis.
Commentary by Marty Connors & Richard Finley:
DOESN'T THE WINNER GET THE SPOILS?
At first blush, some might ask, "Why are we writing this letter?" We have studied the vote returns that show Legion Field Box 7 (a Birmingham, Alabama African-American voting location) had a 91% straight Democratic vote. Looking deeper into the numbers, another 6%, though not straight Democratic votes, were cast for only Democratic candidates, leaving a 3% rate in that box for Republican candidates. In spite of the dismal showing among African-Americans here in Alabama, Republican candidates won virtually every statewide office. A more traditional approach to this situation would have dictated that to the winner goes the spoils and that in most cases, winners have neither the obligation nor the inclination to "reach out". But we are a different generation of political leaders. We share with you a common concern about the plight of Alabama's children as measured in crime rates, poverty rates, drug rates, and inadequate schools. For the long-term health of our state and country, we have mutual concerns to address that require new answers and new approaches reached by a new consensus. In our urban areas, many of our children have been condemned to be little more than wards of a school that fails to properly prepare them for a job or higher education. In many of these areas elected officials are protecting the interest of the education establishment over the needs of the consumer (the kids). Nearly 70% of fourth graders in our poorest schools are unable to read at a basic level. A majority of African-American children live in fatherless homes. … In addition, a significant majority of African-American births are out-of-wedlock. Year after year many Alabamians continue to be captive to the discouraging and destructive effects of failed policies. So, as the new leadership of the Republican Party, we find it a moral imperative as well as a political imperative to work together with progressive black leaders to bring about change. We, like Attorney General Bill Pryor, believe we have an answer in local initiatives and mentoring programs. Our hope is to increase funds for church-based programs that provide assistance to the disadvantaged. A prescription drug plan for seniors is needed and we must work together to implement President Bush's vision that no senior should be forced to choose between food and medicine. At the state level, Lt. Governor Steve Windom has introduced complimentary legislation in our Seniors First Prescription Promise. Student Opportunity Scholarships remain an important component of our education vision. If a child is in a failing school, the parents should have the right to leave the school for a better, public, private or religious alternative. The neighborhood where a child lives or the thickness of his parent's pocketbook should not be factors that condemn a child to a school that does not meet its obligations. We believe that after a school faces two years of quantifiable failure (defined as having test scores 40% or below the national average), the parents of a child in that school should be free to leave. We built this nation (America's Greatest Generation) on the G.I. Bill and Pell Grant which was little more than a voucher to our colleges. We believe the same can be done in K-12. Ask yourself how often political solutions have solved the problems that are facing your neighborhood, your school, and ultimately your child's future. Since 1963 trillions of dollars have been spent on a wide variety of social ills but in many cases the problems have only multiplied. Putting all your political eggs in one basket -- the Democratic basket -- met the needs of some elected officials, but did it meet the needs of your community and your family? We have a vision of a new Republican Party that is judged on the merits of its moral and economic objectives and accomplishments not on the tired rhetoric of its detractors -- a Republican Party that reaches out and is joined by those who want to chart a new course to end the residual problems of the Democratic welfare experiment. This Republican Party has been, is, and will be the party that values the worth and opportunity of the individual. We write today to invite you to explore the values of the Republican Party in relation to your personal values and join us in moving beyond the narrow ideas that bind us to the past. So why are we writing this? We are writing this for each of you to know….you have been asked. We are here to make a change. Together. (Marty Connors is Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. Richard Finley is Chairman of the Alabama Republican Council.)
THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE PROMISES NEW FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH PERFORMANCE-BASED BUDGETING
By John F. Knight, Jr. Chairman, Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee
The Legislature's commitment to oversight and accountability for public funds has led to several major initiatives begun in fiscal year 2000-2001, which with continued funding will affect the state in profound and positive ways in the upcoming fiscal year. We are especially proud that Alabama was the first state in the nation to implement the Children's Health Insurance Program, a General Fund priority last year. Administered by the Department of Public Health, CHIP provides health insurance to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. The department has enrolled 29,000 children in the "ALL KIDS" program, and 8,000 additional children have qualified for Medicaid because of the program's outreach efforts. This year and next, these outreach efforts will continue as new and innovative ways to reach uninsured children are explored. The Legislature also appropriated an increase of $10 million from the General Fund to the Department of Corrections in FY 2001. The allocation funds, in part, an increase in the number of correctional officers by at least 25 and expands Brent Prison by at least 100 inmates and 20 staff positions. The Legislature also appropriated an increase of $1.9 million to the Department of Public Safety, with the objective of improving driver license and accident report services. As chairman of the House Ways and Means General Fund, I am especially interested in the Legislature designating more money for economically disadvantaged areas and am happy to see that the Legislature is moving toward that objective. For example in 2001, the Legislature imposed several additional oversight and accountability requirements in the General Fund budget. The Alabama Development Office, for instance, is now required to specifically designate funds for industrial recruitment in rural areas and/or areas with high unemployment and low personal income levels. ADECA is also required to report all funds and grants expended in these targeted areas. In a settlement that benefits Alabamians, the state expects to receive $96 million in FY 2001 and $115 million in FY 2002 from the tobacco funds. As of October 1, 2000, Alabama had received $131.7 million. With this revenue, the Legislature funded Medicaid and established the Medicaid Trust Fund. Gov. Siegelman released $20 million in conditional appropriations from the General Fund for Medicaid. And as a result, Medicaid is able to increase reimbursements to doctors and dentists providing services to Medicaid patients by approximately $26.3 million annually, beginning this year. The tobacco funds also helped state agencies deliver services to Alabama's children through the Children First Fund, which received $50 million; the Senior Services Trust Fund, another recipient of tobacco funds, received $1.7 million. The Legislature further demonstrated its commitment to taxpayer accountability by establishing performance-based budgeting and by funding a $5 million Rainy Day Fund in the 2001 budget. This is in addition to the $2.5 million appropriated in fiscal year 2000. Performance-based budgeting, which requires state agencies to set priorities and justify to legislators why they need more money, includes an evaluation of expenditures by the Legislature after new money is received. Gov. Siegelman selected the departments of Mental Health, Human Resources and Youth Services, and the Legislature selected Corrections and Public Safety to develop and implement this performance-based budget and management system. Although there is considerable work to be done in the area of accountability, we have been very prudent in managing the General Fund. As a result of the Legislature's stewardship and the concerted management effort of the administration, the state ended fiscal year 2000 with a balance of $60 million, $16 million more than anticipated. Still several monetary issues are facing the General Fund in fiscal year 2002 and beyond that will require our diligent oversight, along with the continued cooperation of the governor and finance director to ensure that funds expended by the state agencies are used prudently. The largest of these issues is the issue of refunding revenue to out-of-state companies that for years paid higher franchise tax rates. Information from the Revenue Department shows that the total potential refund liability could be as much as $850 million. Several companies, including CSX and BellSouth, have negotiated settlement refunds. CSX settled for $2.8 million and BellSouth settled for $40 million. The Revenue Department indicates that both will take these settlements as credits against future General Fund taxes due. Recently, the governor has favorably settled other refund cases, and the balance of refunds remaining - potentially $600 million - will hopefully be addressed in a favorable manner for the state and the General Fund. The Legislature's goal for this year, and in the future, is to continue to improve the way we manage state government, and to manage for results that work for the taxpayers of Alabama. We will achieve our goal of good governance by implementing performance-based budgeting and through strong leadership from Gov. Don Siegelman and House Speaker Seth Hammett.
WEALTH CREATION
By Willie Huff
Financial wealth is owning a great quantity of valuable material possessions or resources such as land, buildings, natural resources (water, oil, gold, diamonds, copper, platinum, etc.), houses, automobiles, jewelry, clothing, stocks, bonds, and my personal favorite, CASH. However, many people who live in expensive homes and drive late model luxury automobiles do not actually have much wealth. Most people have the wrong definition of wealth. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make, earn, hustle, shakedown, or extort a good income each year and spend most of it, you will not become wealthy. What you are doing is living high, large, "phat" or whatever, but you are not becoming wealthy. Wealth is what you actually accumulate. So, how does one become wealthy? Wealth creation is the result of a lifestyle choice or work, perseverance, planning, denial and most importantly - discipline. Who is wealthy and who becomes wealthy? Based on research conducted by Thomas Stanley, the wealthy individual is: a business owner, one who has lived in the same town for all of his/her adult life, and has married once and remains married. The average wealthy person lives next door to people with only a fraction of his/her wealth. He/she is a compulsive saver and investor and has made his/her money on their own. Eighty percent of America's millionaires are first generation rich. According to Mr. Stanley, "affluent people typically follow a lifestyle conducive to accumulating wealth". Below are the seven common denominators among those who successfully build wealth, as listed by Mr. Stanley in his book "The Millionaire Next Door":
1. They live well below their means.
2. They allocate their time, energy and money efficiently, in ways conducive to building wealth.
3. They believe financial independence is more important than displaying high social status.
4. Their parents did not provide economic outpatient care.
5. Their adult children are economically self-sufficient.
6. They are proficient in targeting market opportunities.
7. They chose the right occupation.
In summary, serious wealth creation is a realistic goal for those who are willing to become self-employed, frugal, disciplined, bold, and can deny the desire to live in an overly expensive home and ride in a depreciating luxury vehicle. It is within your power to become wealthier. (Willie Huff is Chairman of the Board of ABI Capital Management, LLC; a black-owned investment bank in Birmingham, Alabama.)
WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?
By Richard Dickerson
The election is over. Whether we agree with the results or the process that yielded the results, George Bush is the President of the United States. On the subject of the electoral process, I join with millions of Americans who were and remain outraged by an election process that denied so many Americans their right to vote. The recently concluded presidential election will be known for many things. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that so many native Americans, black Americans, other minorities and poor people suffered the unfair burden of a widespread denial of the right to vote. In addition, our senior citizens were denied the right to vote in too many instances. I suggest that we consider taking the following actions:
1. Keep Voting. There is power in the ballot. I hope that all Americans realize and appreciate the importance of voting, and will continue to vote. Further, we need to demand that our elected and appointed officials institute an election process that is beyond reproach. Despite the problems that arose during the past presidential election, the power of voting was evident. Contrary to the popular reports, the media was not wrong on election night. They were right. They asked voters in Florida whom did they vote for and the majority of the voters replied Gore-Lieberman. The record black turnout speaks to the power that exists in minority communities. The black vote made a difference in many of the battleground states. Despite the election's outcome, black voters are and will remain a deciding voice in American elections.
2. Education and Information. We need to become more informed voters. We must educate ourselves about the issues and the candidates. Equally we need to be sure that we educate all voters about the various processes of voting. We must work hard to insure that all voters, particularly first time voters, understand how to properly operate the voting machines. Our vote is an investment and no party should think that our support is automatic. All candidates and political parties need to understand that "we" are informed voters. Candidates will need something more than photo opportunities with black children and appointments of black people to jobs and agencies to obtain our vote. History has repeatedly taught us that having a black face is not a guarantee that a candidate will be supportive of the black agenda.
3. Raise Money. Freedom is not free! We must raise money to support the candidates and issues that are important to our communities. The black community should raise the necessary money to pay election day expenses. Too often, political parties spend money in the black community before the election. We are not asking for any handouts, we are only asking that our votes be accorded the same level of respect that other groups receive.
As we move forward in the 21st Century, there are many other activities that we can and must do to help secure greater political independence and power. However, I suggest that it might be prudent to focus on these items as a way of developing a foundation. Earlier, I referred to "WE". You might ask, "who is he referring to?" The answer is "all Americans, regardless of their race or economic standing who believe that the most recent presidential election was one where too many Americans were denied their right to vote. This denial came in many forms, including: ballots that could not be read clearly, voter lists which did not have the names of many newly registered voters, questionable activities by local police, and the abuse of power by local officials. Unfortunately, the problems associated with administering the election were not limited to Florida. In many communities, irregularities occurred which prevented ballots from being counted the way the voter intended. The voting process should be beyond reproach. The idea of one-person one-vote is one of the founding principles for the United States. Our failure to fairly administer a presidential election is a source of national and international embarrassment. Further, the "WE" is that community of people who believes that black voters are too often taken for granted by the Democrats and ignored by the Republicans. The "WE" is that community of people who believes that there is a black agenda. The black agenda includes improving education, not just teaching the tests. The black agenda includes continued aid for our cities with an emphasis on economic development. The black agenda also includes support for affirmative action. We realize that race still matters in America and the playing field is not level. The black agenda calls for a tax policy that is based on fairness and equality. Government has to play an active role to help insure that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are goals that can become realities for all Americans. Further, the black agenda includes an emphasis on protecting the environment. It is imperative that we commit ourselves to public policies that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink. Our tasks are great! However, working together, we can achieve success. (Richard Dickerson is a Senior Associate at Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. in White Plains, New York. Mr. Dickerson has been a key political strategist for several presidential and gubernatorial campaigns.)
Voter News Network organizers, including Birmingham-based banker and publisher Donald V. Watkins, met in Tampa, Florida last January and committed to contribute $1 million in personal political donations for the November, 2002 elections in Alabama. The donations will go to candidates for state and federal offices and related election activities. Voter News Network will not donate monies to political parties. The $1 million level of political contributions from individuals and their families will rank Voter News Network leaders number five on the top 400 list of political donors in the nation, according to the March/April 2001 issue of Mother Jones Magazine (www.motherjones.com). Voter News Network leaders, who already contribute heavily in the political arena, will channel their donations to voter registration and education activities, get-the-vote-out efforts aimed at independent voters, and to candidates supported by Voter News Network. Voter News Network will also ask the subscribers in our 155,000 database to participate in the fundraising at whatever level is comfortable for them. This participation may well increase the level of donations beyond the $1 million committed by Voter News Network's organizers. Voter News Network will grade candidates for statewide and federal offices against established criteria designed to measure their sensitivity to the core values of independent and swing voters. Voter News Network will inform its base of voters of the grade each candidate receives at 7:00 p.m. on the Monday evening before the Tuesday general elections. The report card on candidates will be posted on our web site at www.VoterNewsNetwork.com.
Editorial by Donald V. Watkins:
REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM PARKER FIGHTS TO PROTECT PROPERTY OWNER'S RIGHTS
Alabama State Representative William Parker (D-Birmingham) is waging a fierce fight in the Legislature to protect property owners' rights. In February, the Alabama House of Representatives' Banking and Insurance Committee approved, on an 11-3 vote, a bill that would reduce Alabama property owners' one year right to redeem property in foreclosure. Representative Parker vigorously objected to the bill. Property owners in Alabama have enjoyed this statutory right of redemption for over 30 years. The proposed legislation would chop this right down to six months for most landowners. The state's one year right of redemption law annoys many in the banking industry. The industry wants to acquire clear title to foreclosed properties quickly. The industry initially sought to reduce the redemption period to 90 days. Rep. Parker was outraged by this 75 percent reduction in the statutory redemption period. Members of the House Banking Committee attempted to pacify Parker and other opponents of House Bill #125 by limiting the rollback period to six months rather than 90 days. Rep. Parker was still fuming when he realized that the proposed legislation carved out special protections for rich and powerful agri-business landowners in Alabama. Large farmers, foresters and ranchers will retain their one year right of redemption, while residential property owners will experience the full blow of the reduced property rights. Rep. Parker believes that this class-based difference in treatment of property owners amounts to "affirmative action" for the rich and powerful. We agree. The legislature should kill this kind of "affirmative action" legislation. It is an embarrassing piece of legislation. The banking industry presented no real justification for slicing off one half of the statutory property rights protection period from residential landowners, while continuing to clothe the rich and powerful with their full statutory rights. Rep. Parker, who is a first term legislator, has developed a well-deserved reputation for protecting the rights of Alabamians. During last year's session, Parker defeated a ''legal loan-sharking'' bill sponsored by the payday lending industry. The legislation would have allowed check cashers and payday lenders to receive up to 1,200 percent returns on small loans to retired and working class people. He also is fighting vigorously to pass a bill this session that will prohibit trains from blocking railroad crossings for more than five minutes. Bravo William Parker!
SHAIA NO LONGER CANDIDATE FOR UA TRUSTEE
Last month, Voter News Network reported that several very powerful political forces were uniting for the specific purpose of defeating Jacque Shaia's confirmation to the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees. We have learned that Shaia is stepping down and has submitted her resignation to Board Chairperson Sid McDonald. In our report, Voter News Network noted this as a specific Senate item to watch. Shaia would have been the first University of Alabama at Birmingham graduate to serve as a board member.
WATKINS ADDRESSED ALABAMA HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS
Voter News Network's publisher, Donald V. Watkins, addressed the Alabama House Republican delegation on March 21, 2001 at its regularly scheduled luncheon. Mr. Watkins identified several key legislative issues of mutual interest to black voters and Republicans. Voter News Network focuses on pocketbook issues such as tax reform, health care, quality education and economic development.
ASHCROFT ADDS LAWYERS TO VOTING RIGHTS SECTION
In the aftermath of Florida's well-publicized allegations of voting abuses in last fall's presidential election, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft has announced that he is adding eight new attorneys to the Justice Department's Voting Rights Section. The new attorneys will beef up the Department's capability to monitor elections and perform other enforcement work. The Voting Rights Section currently employs 40 attorneys.
SIEGELMAN'S SPECIAL SESSION OF LEGISLATURE COMES UP EMPTY
Alabama Governor Don Seigelman's Special Legislative Session crashed and burned on March 5, 2001 when it ended with none of the Governor's bills passed. The session was called in February to address a proration funding crisis for K-12 schools and colleges and universities arising earlier that month. After the Governor's proration announcement, a Montgomery, Alabama Circuit Judge ordered that most of the funding for K-12 be shielded from the proration cuts. The order, which was upheld by the Alabama Supreme Court on March 14, would make it necessary to cut more of the state's higher education budget. Some experts predict that higher education could face cuts of up to 18 percent. Siegelman introduced a package of bills, which he said addressed the proration crisis. None of his bills passed. The session cost taxpayers an estimated $10,000. The state still languishes in a proration crisis.
Commentary by Marty Connors & Richard Finley:
DOESN'T THE WINNER GET THE SPOILS?
At first blush, some might ask, "Why are we writing this letter?" We have studied the vote returns that show Legion Field Box 7 (a Birmingham, Alabama African-American voting location) had a 91% straight Democratic vote. Looking deeper into the numbers, another 6%, though not straight Democratic votes, were cast for only Democratic candidates, leaving a 3% rate in that box for Republican candidates. In spite of the dismal showing among African-Americans here in Alabama, Republican candidates won virtually every statewide office. A more traditional approach to this situation would have dictated that to the winner goes the spoils and that in most cases, winners have neither the obligation nor the inclination to "reach out". But we are a different generation of political leaders. We share with you a common concern about the plight of Alabama's children as measured in crime rates, poverty rates, drug rates, and inadequate schools. For the long-term health of our state and country, we have mutual concerns to address that require new answers and new approaches reached by a new consensus. In our urban areas, many of our children have been condemned to be little more than wards of a school that fails to properly prepare them for a job or higher education. In many of these areas elected officials are protecting the interest of the education establishment over the needs of the consumer (the kids). Nearly 70% of fourth graders in our poorest schools are unable to read at a basic level. A majority of African-American children live in fatherless homes. … In addition, a significant majority of African-American births are out-of-wedlock. Year after year many Alabamians continue to be captive to the discouraging and destructive effects of failed policies. So, as the new leadership of the Republican Party, we find it a moral imperative as well as a political imperative to work together with progressive black leaders to bring about change. We, like Attorney General Bill Pryor, believe we have an answer in local initiatives and mentoring programs. Our hope is to increase funds for church-based programs that provide assistance to the disadvantaged. A prescription drug plan for seniors is needed and we must work together to implement President Bush's vision that no senior should be forced to choose between food and medicine. At the state level, Lt. Governor Steve Windom has introduced complimentary legislation in our Seniors First Prescription Promise. Student Opportunity Scholarships remain an important component of our education vision. If a child is in a failing school, the parents should have the right to leave the school for a better, public, private or religious alternative. The neighborhood where a child lives or the thickness of his parent's pocketbook should not be factors that condemn a child to a school that does not meet its obligations. We believe that after a school faces two years of quantifiable failure (defined as having test scores 40% or below the national average), the parents of a child in that school should be free to leave. We built this nation (America's Greatest Generation) on the G.I. Bill and Pell Grant which was little more than a voucher to our colleges. We believe the same can be done in K-12. Ask yourself how often political solutions have solved the problems that are facing your neighborhood, your school, and ultimately your child's future. Since 1963 trillions of dollars have been spent on a wide variety of social ills but in many cases the problems have only multiplied. Putting all your political eggs in one basket -- the Democratic basket -- met the needs of some elected officials, but did it meet the needs of your community and your family? We have a vision of a new Republican Party that is judged on the merits of its moral and economic objectives and accomplishments not on the tired rhetoric of its detractors -- a Republican Party that reaches out and is joined by those who want to chart a new course to end the residual problems of the Democratic welfare experiment. This Republican Party has been, is, and will be the party that values the worth and opportunity of the individual. We write today to invite you to explore the values of the Republican Party in relation to your personal values and join us in moving beyond the narrow ideas that bind us to the past. So why are we writing this? We are writing this for each of you to know….you have been asked. We are here to make a change. Together. (Marty Connors is Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. Richard Finley is Chairman of the Alabama Republican Council.)
THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE PROMISES NEW FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH PERFORMANCE-BASED BUDGETING
By John F. Knight, Jr. Chairman, Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee
The Legislature's commitment to oversight and accountability for public funds has led to several major initiatives begun in fiscal year 2000-2001, which with continued funding will affect the state in profound and positive ways in the upcoming fiscal year. We are especially proud that Alabama was the first state in the nation to implement the Children's Health Insurance Program, a General Fund priority last year. Administered by the Department of Public Health, CHIP provides health insurance to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. The department has enrolled 29,000 children in the "ALL KIDS" program, and 8,000 additional children have qualified for Medicaid because of the program's outreach efforts. This year and next, these outreach efforts will continue as new and innovative ways to reach uninsured children are explored. The Legislature also appropriated an increase of $10 million from the General Fund to the Department of Corrections in FY 2001. The allocation funds, in part, an increase in the number of correctional officers by at least 25 and expands Brent Prison by at least 100 inmates and 20 staff positions. The Legislature also appropriated an increase of $1.9 million to the Department of Public Safety, with the objective of improving driver license and accident report services. As chairman of the House Ways and Means General Fund, I am especially interested in the Legislature designating more money for economically disadvantaged areas and am happy to see that the Legislature is moving toward that objective. For example in 2001, the Legislature imposed several additional oversight and accountability requirements in the General Fund budget. The Alabama Development Office, for instance, is now required to specifically designate funds for industrial recruitment in rural areas and/or areas with high unemployment and low personal income levels. ADECA is also required to report all funds and grants expended in these targeted areas. In a settlement that benefits Alabamians, the state expects to receive $96 million in FY 2001 and $115 million in FY 2002 from the tobacco funds. As of October 1, 2000, Alabama had received $131.7 million. With this revenue, the Legislature funded Medicaid and established the Medicaid Trust Fund. Gov. Siegelman released $20 million in conditional appropriations from the General Fund for Medicaid. And as a result, Medicaid is able to increase reimbursements to doctors and dentists providing services to Medicaid patients by approximately $26.3 million annually, beginning this year. The tobacco funds also helped state agencies deliver services to Alabama's children through the Children First Fund, which received $50 million; the Senior Services Trust Fund, another recipient of tobacco funds, received $1.7 million. The Legislature further demonstrated its commitment to taxpayer accountability by establishing performance-based budgeting and by funding a $5 million Rainy Day Fund in the 2001 budget. This is in addition to the $2.5 million appropriated in fiscal year 2000. Performance-based budgeting, which requires state agencies to set priorities and justify to legislators why they need more money, includes an evaluation of expenditures by the Legislature after new money is received. Gov. Siegelman selected the departments of Mental Health, Human Resources and Youth Services, and the Legislature selected Corrections and Public Safety to develop and implement this performance-based budget and management system. Although there is considerable work to be done in the area of accountability, we have been very prudent in managing the General Fund. As a result of the Legislature's stewardship and the concerted management effort of the administration, the state ended fiscal year 2000 with a balance of $60 million, $16 million more than anticipated. Still several monetary issues are facing the General Fund in fiscal year 2002 and beyond that will require our diligent oversight, along with the continued cooperation of the governor and finance director to ensure that funds expended by the state agencies are used prudently. The largest of these issues is the issue of refunding revenue to out-of-state companies that for years paid higher franchise tax rates. Information from the Revenue Department shows that the total potential refund liability could be as much as $850 million. Several companies, including CSX and BellSouth, have negotiated settlement refunds. CSX settled for $2.8 million and BellSouth settled for $40 million. The Revenue Department indicates that both will take these settlements as credits against future General Fund taxes due. Recently, the governor has favorably settled other refund cases, and the balance of refunds remaining - potentially $600 million - will hopefully be addressed in a favorable manner for the state and the General Fund. The Legislature's goal for this year, and in the future, is to continue to improve the way we manage state government, and to manage for results that work for the taxpayers of Alabama. We will achieve our goal of good governance by implementing performance-based budgeting and through strong leadership from Gov. Don Siegelman and House Speaker Seth Hammett.
WEALTH CREATION
By Willie Huff
Financial wealth is owning a great quantity of valuable material possessions or resources such as land, buildings, natural resources (water, oil, gold, diamonds, copper, platinum, etc.), houses, automobiles, jewelry, clothing, stocks, bonds, and my personal favorite, CASH. However, many people who live in expensive homes and drive late model luxury automobiles do not actually have much wealth. Most people have the wrong definition of wealth. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make, earn, hustle, shakedown, or extort a good income each year and spend most of it, you will not become wealthy. What you are doing is living high, large, "phat" or whatever, but you are not becoming wealthy. Wealth is what you actually accumulate. So, how does one become wealthy? Wealth creation is the result of a lifestyle choice or work, perseverance, planning, denial and most importantly - discipline. Who is wealthy and who becomes wealthy? Based on research conducted by Thomas Stanley, the wealthy individual is: a business owner, one who has lived in the same town for all of his/her adult life, and has married once and remains married. The average wealthy person lives next door to people with only a fraction of his/her wealth. He/she is a compulsive saver and investor and has made his/her money on their own. Eighty percent of America's millionaires are first generation rich. According to Mr. Stanley, "affluent people typically follow a lifestyle conducive to accumulating wealth". Below are the seven common denominators among those who successfully build wealth, as listed by Mr. Stanley in his book "The Millionaire Next Door":
1. They live well below their means.
2. They allocate their time, energy and money efficiently, in ways conducive to building wealth.
3. They believe financial independence is more important than displaying high social status.
4. Their parents did not provide economic outpatient care.
5. Their adult children are economically self-sufficient.
6. They are proficient in targeting market opportunities.
7. They chose the right occupation.
In summary, serious wealth creation is a realistic goal for those who are willing to become self-employed, frugal, disciplined, bold, and can deny the desire to live in an overly expensive home and ride in a depreciating luxury vehicle. It is within your power to become wealthier. (Willie Huff is Chairman of the Board of ABI Capital Management, LLC; a black-owned investment bank in Birmingham, Alabama.)
WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?
By Richard Dickerson
The election is over. Whether we agree with the results or the process that yielded the results, George Bush is the President of the United States. On the subject of the electoral process, I join with millions of Americans who were and remain outraged by an election process that denied so many Americans their right to vote. The recently concluded presidential election will be known for many things. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that so many native Americans, black Americans, other minorities and poor people suffered the unfair burden of a widespread denial of the right to vote. In addition, our senior citizens were denied the right to vote in too many instances. I suggest that we consider taking the following actions:
1. Keep Voting. There is power in the ballot. I hope that all Americans realize and appreciate the importance of voting, and will continue to vote. Further, we need to demand that our elected and appointed officials institute an election process that is beyond reproach. Despite the problems that arose during the past presidential election, the power of voting was evident. Contrary to the popular reports, the media was not wrong on election night. They were right. They asked voters in Florida whom did they vote for and the majority of the voters replied Gore-Lieberman. The record black turnout speaks to the power that exists in minority communities. The black vote made a difference in many of the battleground states. Despite the election's outcome, black voters are and will remain a deciding voice in American elections.
2. Education and Information. We need to become more informed voters. We must educate ourselves about the issues and the candidates. Equally we need to be sure that we educate all voters about the various processes of voting. We must work hard to insure that all voters, particularly first time voters, understand how to properly operate the voting machines. Our vote is an investment and no party should think that our support is automatic. All candidates and political parties need to understand that "we" are informed voters. Candidates will need something more than photo opportunities with black children and appointments of black people to jobs and agencies to obtain our vote. History has repeatedly taught us that having a black face is not a guarantee that a candidate will be supportive of the black agenda.
3. Raise Money. Freedom is not free! We must raise money to support the candidates and issues that are important to our communities. The black community should raise the necessary money to pay election day expenses. Too often, political parties spend money in the black community before the election. We are not asking for any handouts, we are only asking that our votes be accorded the same level of respect that other groups receive.
As we move forward in the 21st Century, there are many other activities that we can and must do to help secure greater political independence and power. However, I suggest that it might be prudent to focus on these items as a way of developing a foundation. Earlier, I referred to "WE". You might ask, "who is he referring to?" The answer is "all Americans, regardless of their race or economic standing who believe that the most recent presidential election was one where too many Americans were denied their right to vote. This denial came in many forms, including: ballots that could not be read clearly, voter lists which did not have the names of many newly registered voters, questionable activities by local police, and the abuse of power by local officials. Unfortunately, the problems associated with administering the election were not limited to Florida. In many communities, irregularities occurred which prevented ballots from being counted the way the voter intended. The voting process should be beyond reproach. The idea of one-person one-vote is one of the founding principles for the United States. Our failure to fairly administer a presidential election is a source of national and international embarrassment. Further, the "WE" is that community of people who believes that black voters are too often taken for granted by the Democrats and ignored by the Republicans. The "WE" is that community of people who believes that there is a black agenda. The black agenda includes improving education, not just teaching the tests. The black agenda includes continued aid for our cities with an emphasis on economic development. The black agenda also includes support for affirmative action. We realize that race still matters in America and the playing field is not level. The black agenda calls for a tax policy that is based on fairness and equality. Government has to play an active role to help insure that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are goals that can become realities for all Americans. Further, the black agenda includes an emphasis on protecting the environment. It is imperative that we commit ourselves to public policies that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink. Our tasks are great! However, working together, we can achieve success. (Richard Dickerson is a Senior Associate at Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. in White Plains, New York. Mr. Dickerson has been a key political strategist for several presidential and gubernatorial campaigns.)