Volume
1 Issue 4 - June 2001
Don Siegelman
"Voter News Network grades Siegelman's overall leadership performance at midterm as D- ."
SIEGELMAN FAILS LEADERSHIP TEST
The May edition of Voter News Network announced a critical review of the leadership skills and job performance of Governor Don Siegelman (D-AL). The first installment addresses leadership skills. Voter News Network measured Siegelman's leadership skills against the following criteria:
1. Does he have vision?
2. Does he demonstrate political courage?
3. Does he possess political integrity?
4. Does he demand accountability?
5. Is he effective in solving problems?
Does Siegelman have vision as Governor?
No one disputes Governor Siegelman's political instincts and skills as a perennial candidate for elected office. He has demonstrated his keen political instincts by successfully campaigning for Secretary of State, Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor and Governor. Running for the top office and governing once you win are two different things. Now that Siegelman is Governor, the real question is: does he have vision? Vision is a plan for governing that meets the states needs, now and for the future.
After more than two years as Governor, the answer to the vision question appears to be no. Siegelman sailed into office on the strength of his lottery pledge. It was the centerpiece of his campaign. Legislators gave Siegelman a chance to get his lottery plan before the people for a vote. It was soundly defeated. Since then, Siegelman has offered little by way of vision.
The "Education Governor" had no backup plan for funding education once the lottery was defeated. He haplessly watched the state's public schools and colleges sink into a huge funding crisis. He has offered no real solutions. Everybody knows that the state's proration problem in education results from our use of sales taxes to fund education. When the economy is down, so is our funding source. What is Siegelman's solution to the problem? Float a bond issue. Borrow more money. This is not a permanent fix to the funding problem for our schools.
Siegelman is turning into nothing more than a crisis manager. Someone who can put a bandage on the problem of the day. He has demonstrated his ability to patch political potholes, whether it's the $100 million short fall in the corporate franchise taxes or the shortage in state troopers on our highways. He rarely has a permanent solution to any crisis. Leaders with vision do.
Does Siegelman demonstrate political courage?
We know that Siegelman possesses political instincts. However, he sorely lacks political courage. Siegelman is smart. He knows that borrowing money is not a real solution to the proration crisis. Changing our tax system is. Siegelman knows that the low number of state troopers patrolling our highways is not acceptable. But, he only acted to address this problem after widespread adverse publicity in the media. He knows about overcrowding in state prisons. He knows all of our problems quite well. Why, then, doesn't Siegelman step forward with real solutions to these and other critical needs? He lacks political courage. Rather than leading the effort to find permanent solutions to these problems, Siegelman is constantly polling. He leads only when the polls say it is safe to do so. Remember, Siegelman was against a rewrite of the state's constitution until the polls said Alabamians favored a new constitution.
Siegelman will not tackle tax reform because he lacks the courage to challenge the powerful special interest groups who guard against changes in our property tax laws. Also, the Alabama Education Association's tag-team of Paul Hubbert and Joe Reed virtually dictate Siegelman's educational policies. Siegelman's political deference to Hubbert and Reed is born out of his belief that they hold a death grip on the Democratic Party's financial and political support systems.
Does Siegelman possess political integrity?
A leader with political integrity says what he means and means what he says. He integrates his words and behavior with his belief system. He keeps his promises even when it costs him political points.
Siegelman's reputation in the political community for saying one thing and doing another is legendary. Capitol insiders constantly complain about Siegelman's willingness to tell virtually every politician what he wants to hear. In late April, for example, he banned tuition increases at state universities as a measure for fighting proration. When some of his political friends complained, he clarified his position on the ban to accommodate so-called regularly scheduled tuition increases. Also, Siegelman was against the constitutional rewrite one month and for it the next month. He also supported the expansion of the Auburn University Board of Trustees to create greater diversity, only to appoint two Bobby Lowder cronies to the expansion seats. Is Siegelman's political word his bond? No.
Does Siegelman demand accountability from subordinates?
Shortly after Siegelman came into office, his public safety director and members of his staff became embroiled in a ticket fixing scandal. This was followed by the issuance of non-bid professional service contracts to his political friends, the issuance of "emergency" contracts for consultants to advise the Governor on policy matters and the circumvention of the legislature's Contract Review Oversight Committee on several occasions. Now, Siegelman's administration is knee-deep in an emerging investigation reportedly involving a questionable warehouse construction deal between the state and G.H. Construction Company, a firm with close ties to Siegelman's top associates. Various published reports disclosed that G.H. Construction was in line for a 12 percent management fee on the $16 million project, though the contract had not been signed. The typical management fee for construction projects of a similar nature is reportedly 3 to 4 percent.
Over the past two years there appears to be a custom and practice by the Siegelman's administration of playing loose and fast with taxpayers' money on questionable projects and contracts. Is the taxpayers' dollar sacred with Siegelman? Not yet.
Is Siegelman effective in solving problems?
Candidate Siegelman was excellent at identifying and discussing the problems facing Alabama. Governor Siegelman is excellent at dodging effective solutions to these problems. In the area of education funding, a recent Capital Survey Research Center poll conducted April 16, 2001, found that 64 percent of 500 adults polled said that they were dissatisfied with the way Siegelman has handled the funding of public education and cuts in public school budgets. The Birmingham News Editorial Page on May 13, 2001, labeled Siegelman's proposed $110 million bond issue for higher education as "goofy." Siegelman has failed to offer any legislative proposals to raise more funds, either temporarily or long-term, that could remedy Alabama's educational funding problems.
Siegelman's ineffectiveness in solving problems is aggravated by his proclivity to micro-manage his cabinet. It is well known inside the Capitol that Siegelman's cabinet appointees are not free to make major decisions without filtering them through a political screen approved by the Governor or his political designees. Micro-management is generally a sign of insecurity in management skills. In this case, it is exacerbating our problems. Who would have believed four months ago that we would still be in a proration crisis with no end in sight? Any leader can solve easy problems, but only strong leaders can effectively solve the hard ones. Has Siegelman, the Governor, been effective in problem solving? No, not when it comes to difficult problems that require courage and leadership.
Siegleman's Midterm Grade
This assessment of Governor Siegelman's first two years in office does not discount the positive accomplishments he has achieved. In many cases, these achievements were in progress before Siegelman took office. Even with these credits, Siegelman, for the reasons stated above, is failing the leadership test. Voter News Network grades Siegelman's overall leadership performance at midterm as D-.
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