King of Pork
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But Bedford had lots of competitors for title
State Sen. Roger Bedford won the Legislature's first Goat Hill Award the old-fashioned way.
He earned it.
The Russellville Democrat, chairman of a Senate budget committee, was the top hog when it came to grabbing pork
projects, according to Republicans in the House of Representatives. It's hard to argue with their choice, although
with 140 pork spending lawmakers, there certainly was no lack of candidates.
But when it comes to pork, Bedford is definitely in a class by himself. He has:
Steered state business to a firm he represents as an attorney.
Donated $5,000 from his taxpayer-supported pork fund to help build a new plaza at the University of Alabama, then
made sure he's listed on a special, separate plaque, just like big private donors.
Funneled, along with state Rep. Mike Millican, D-Hamilton, more than $200,000 through Marion County schools to
be used on pork projects. The system itself, one of the poorest in the state, can't touch the money - except to
send checks to those anointed to share the lawmakers' pork.
Secured $700,000 in state grant dollars to build tennis courts in his hometown of Russellville.
This, at a time the state doesn't have enough money to hire outmanned prison guards, and state troopers patrolling
the highway are as rare as hen's teeth.
Bedford, not surprisingly, said he's proud of the projects he brings home to his district, including the tennis
courts. "That's good for my district," he said.
It's also good for getting Bedford re-elected, but it's not good for Alabama. Lawmakers shouldn't be able to shower
their districts with projects to buy their way to another term. Instead, they should put themselves on a pork-free
diet and use the multimillions of dollars they have been using for pet projects to meet the state's urgent needs.
Unfortunately, no one in the Legislature is handing out awards for that kind of statesmanship.
© The Birmingham News
