GOP panel votes to oppose Riley's tax package
The Alabama GOP breathed a measure of life back into the
Grand Old Party on Saturday, July 19, 2003. Republican Governor Riley's $billion$ tax plan all but killed the GOP
in Alabama. The GOP's vote to oppose Riley's tax plan came not a moment too soon. Republicans across the state
were beginning to think Libertarian.
07/20/03 TOM GORDON The Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee voted Saturday to oppose
Gov. Bob Riley's $1.2 billion tax and accountability package, saying it "could result in the largest tax increase
in the state's history." "In a recession economy, when families are struggling to make ends
meet, we think the government should try to make their ends meet," said GOP chairman Marty Connors after the
meeting at the Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park Hotel. The 21-member steering committee discussed the plan in a closed meeting
that began about an hour and a half after another group of Republicans held a press conference at the Wynfrey Hotel
to tout the Riley plan. Alabamians will vote on the plan on Sept. 9. At that meeting, former Secretary of State Jim Bennett, now state labor
commissioner, said: "While nobody wants to pay more taxes, they won't like the alternative either, which is
to make cuts in vital state services. The wolf is at the door. Those of us who have been in public office know
it." The steering committee session, the fourth that body has held on the
Riley plan, drew some plan opponents, who came to counteract any appearance by plan supporters, including the GOP
governor himself. Those on hand included talk show hosts Russ and Dee Fine, Alabama Christian Coalition founders
Bob and June Russell and state Rep. Jim Carns, R-Mountain Brook. Also on hand was Stephen Engel of Athens, an unsuccessful
5th District congressional candidate in 2000 who had a resolution calling on Riley to kill his plan and to apologize
to Republicans for pushing it or quit the party. At Connors' request, two deputies stood outside the doors to the meeting
room, but there were no incidents and neither the governor nor any of his supporters showed up to try to sell the
steering committee on the plan. The group at the Wynfrey press conference used the abbreviation R.E.A.L.
(Republicans for Education, Accountability and Leadership) to describe themselves, and their numbers included former
U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton, former Lt. Gov. Steve Windom, state Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, Bennett, former
party chairman Winton Blount and 6th District U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus. Bachus said members of the group had asked to speak to the steering
committee, but Connors turned them down. That move drew some verbal fire from Riley press secretary David Azbell. "Rather than have an open and honest debate, the party chairman
chose to hold this star chamber," Azbell said. "We've beat this horse enough," said Connors, who said the
committee had met earlier this year with Riley on the plan. "Had the governor arrived, he would have been
warmly welcomed, but my position has been the emotions have been so high on both sides of this issue that we were
not going to have anybody inside during the final deliberations." After about 20 minutes of discussion, the steering committee resolution
passed overwhelmingly on a voice vote. Party Secretary Sallie Bryant had proposed an alternate that would have
praised the governor and taken a neutral stance on the tax package, but that was rejected. As approved, the resolution cited Riley's "initial effort in calling
for accountability in state government and state spending" and applauded his "determination to restore
integrity to the process of governing." But before recommending a Sept. 9 vote against the plan, the document
stated that the Alabama GOP "is and always has been the party of lower taxes and streamlined government." Riley's plan includes $1.2 billion a year in new taxes, mostly from
property and income taxes, education and government accountability reforms and a college scholarship program. It
is also designed in part to plug an anticipated $675 budget shortfall. Steering committee member Jerry Lathan of Mobile said the plan should
simply plug the deficit. "We simply don't trust the Democratic Legislature to have any more
of the people's money than is necessary to fill the hole," Lathan said. State Democratic Party chairman Redding Pitt has endorsed the Riley
plan. Copyright 2003 al.com. All Rights Reserved.
News staff writer