January 17, 2014 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

The Alabama Legislature returned to work on Tuesday, the 14th for the first day of the 2014 regular session. After the governor’s “state of the state” address on Tuesday evening (see below), they got down to business on Wednesday.

1/17/14 Group Watch: 2014 State of the State Address

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, in his state of the state address, said that job creation remains his top priority. The governor called for new job-training and creation initiative, an expansion of education programs including a $10 million increase in funding for pre-k and a 2-percent pay raise for the state’s teachers. The governor also attacked the Affordable Care Act saying it did nothing but create a culture of dependence on government. The governor called for a 4-percent conditional raise for state employees. The raise would come only if funds are available. The Legislative Fiscal Office has projected a decline in receipts to the General Fund in the coming year. Legislative leaders voiced compassion for an employee pay raise, but say that the anemic General Fund and the demands of Medicaid make this quite a challenge. The governor praised legislators for the progress made replenishing the Rainy Day Fund, but added the responsibility is yet to be totally fulfilled. Prior to the governor’s speech, it was boring political theatre. Tea Party groups throughout the state rallied against Common Core curriculum in Alabama’s schools, and one state senator argued that his daughter’s fifth-grade reading assignment about the benefits was socialist indoctrination of the state’s youth. Senate leaders say they will not take up the issue, and the governor did not address the matter in his speech.

December 2013 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

This month brings lots of election news.

Special Election Results: Three special elections — two primaries and a run-off — were recently held in districts across Alabama to fill vacant House seats. Voters in Elmore and Coosa counties, House District 31, participated in the Republican primary election to replace former State Representative Barry Mask, who resigned to become Director of the Alabama Association of Realtors. Former Elmore County Republican party Chair Mike Holmes and Wetumka car dealer Jimmy Collier finished first and second in a four person field and will face each other in a January 28 run-off. There were no Democratic qualifiers. Jeshua Screws filed a petition to run in the general election as a candidate of the Constitution Party. The general election is scheduled for March 25, 2014.  Jefferson County House District 53 will have a run-off on January 28 between Birmingham attorney Arthur Shores Lee and Leadership Jefferson County Executive Director Anthony Johnson to fill the vacancy created by the death of longtime State Representative Demetrious Newton. The winner will face Republican challenger Willie Casey, a Birmingham real estate broker in the March 25 general election. Citizens in Mobile’s House District 104 are one step closer to having a state representative following a run-off election to replace Jim Barton, who resigned his seat to join a Montgomery lobbying firm. Businesswoman Margie Wilcox defeated Susan Hightower and will face Democrat Stephen Carr in the January 28, 2014, general election. All of the eventual victors will serve little time in office before being required to run for re-election in the 2014 campaign cycle.

Political Announcements: Trussville attorney John Amari has announced his candidacy for Alabama House District 44. That seat is currently held by Representative Arthur Payne, who is retiring at the end of this term. Amari, who grew up in the district, said that economic development will be among his priorities. Amari is the third candidate to enter the race. Investment Banker Joe Freeman and Trussville school board member Danny Garrett have already announced their candidacies. All are running as Republicans. Harbert Management Corporation executive Will Brooke has decided to enter the race in the 6^th congressional district. That seat is currently held by Representative Spencer Bachus, who is retiring at the end of this term. Brooke said getting control of government spending will be among his priorities if elected to Congress. Brooke is the fourth candidate to enter the race, State Representative Paul Demarco, surgeon Chad Mathis and Gary Palmer have already announced their candidacies.

December 2013 Group Watch: Boeing Plant?

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says the state is working hard to secure a deal with Boeing for the production of the Boeing 777X. Bentley says Alabama was the first state Boeing met with and a cited history with the company going back over 50 years. He pointed out that engineers in Huntsville helped redesigned the 787 Dreamliner. South Carolina, Missouri and Washington are also in the running. Boeing is currently based in Washington.

December 2013 Group Watch: Happy Holidays!

Thanks for trusting us with your governmental affairs needs in 2013. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and that 2014 starts off on a happy and high note for everyone!

November 2013 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

This month brings two appointment announcements and some interesting education news.

• AL Governor to Chair National Committee: Governor Robert Bentley has been named chairman of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee of the National Governors Association for the 2013-2014 year. The National Governors Association Chair, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, recognized economic progress being made in Alabama and asked Governor Bentley to take the role. In his new position, the governor will meet with other governors at upcoming meetings to talk about economic development in Alabama. Governor Bentley said he plans to highlight Accelerate Alabama, the state’s long-term strategic job-growth plan, as well as the state’s workforce training program, AIDT.
• AL GOP’s New Minority Outreach Director: The Alabama Republican Party has named the co-owner of a Montgomery optical business as its director of minority outreach. Party officials said that Rochester, New York, native Troy Towns has been chosen to lead the party’s minority outreach efforts. Towns has lived in Alabama for more than 20 years and has served as vice chair of the Montgomery Minority GOP. Towns is also an active member of the Wetumpka Tea Party. According to Towns, Republican candidates are more closely aligned with the values of many minority voters. He challenges Alabama voters to support candidates based upon who supports their values instead of voting by party affiliation.
• AL’s Pre-K Works: The Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) has reported that participation in Alabama’s state pre-k program improves performance for students in elementary school. PARCA compared test scores from students who attend the voluntary First Class Pre-K program with those who did not. The benefits extend until at least the sixth grade, according to an ongoing evaluation of the program. PARCA’s report says that students from low-income households show particularly strong academic benefits. Participation in the program narrows the gap in academic performance between students from lower income families and those from more affluent families by 25 percent. The National Institute for Early Education Research has recognized Alabama’s program for meeting all 10 of its benchmarks for quality.
• The End of Graduation Exams: The State Board of Education recently voted to do away with the exam that students had to pass for graduation. The termination of the exam applies to students who were ninth-graders in 2010-2011 and are seniors this school year. Students who were in the ninth grade before 2010-2011 and are one to two grade levels behind will still need to pass the exam to graduate. State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice said the exam is no longer a good measurement of the school board’s goal of having every graduate ready for college or a career. Bice said the board is moving toward end-of-course exams for the major required courses. They are already in place for 10^th-grade English and Algebra 1, and so far, there is no score that students must make to successfully complete a course. The board also passed a resolution reaffirming that it controls all academic content standards for Alabama’s public schools. Board members said that they took this action to address concerns voiced by some parents who are upset that the Common Core standards are included in Alabama’s standards.

November 2013 Group Watch: Looking Back

Rep. Jack Williams recently relived an important moment in Alabama politics: the one where Senator Jeff Sessions decided to run for state Attorney General. Our own Allen Sanderson was a part of the late-night call that got that ball rolling. Read the whole story here.

November 2013 Group Watch: Saying Thanks

During this month when we remember and celebrate our blessings and the things we are thankful for, The Bloom Group would like to pause and say that we are thankful for all our clients and friends. We hope each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of food, family and fun.

October 2013 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

Two insurance giants join forces, while the state’s auto industry celebrates two decades of acceleration.

Big & Bigger: Two of the largest names in the Alabama insurance business are working together. Company officials from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, the major provider of health insurance, and Alfa, the major provider of auto, home and life insurance, announced a new partnership that will allow Alfa agents to sign people up for health and dental policies including those on the federal insurance exchange. Blue Cross is the state’s largest health insurance company. It is also the only company to offer plans on the Alabama health insurance exchange in all 67 counties in the state. At this time, only three counties have a competing company offering individual plans on the exchanges. The health insurance exchanges opened for enrollment on October1 and coverage begins January 1, 2014.

Auto Industry Turns 20: Twenty years ago, Mercedes-Benz announced their intention to build vehicles in Vance, Alabama. That decision changed the business and employment landscape in the state. Since then, photographers and reporters have covered every aspect of Alabama’s automotive manufacturing boom. One reporter recalls following a Mercedes SUV from start to finish over three days at the Vance assembly plant in 2000. He described the experience, saying it was “amazing to watch a vehicle appear before your eyes.” He also pointed to the pride Mercedes employees felt about having someone document their part in building the vehicle. It is a trait that carries through the entire auto industry in Alabama. Workers who build Mercedes, Honda and Hyundai vehicles are proud of what they produce, as they should be. All of the state’s assembly plants have expanded over the years and hired more workers. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALABAMA AUTO INDUSTRY!

October 2013 Group Watch: T-Town Financially Safer Than Most

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said recently that despite many parts of the federal government shutting down because of the budget impasse in Washington, his city is well shielded financially. Strong reserves will enable the city to handle cash flow in the short term, but in the long-term, projects relating to recovery from the 2011 tornado could be delayed. Tuscaloosa was devastated by the storm that destroyed 12 percent of the city. Maddox attributes the city’s prosperity to healthy financial reserves and long-term planning. While most observers believe the budget impasse will be short lived, if it goes on for months, cities like Tuscaloosa as well as those on the east coast and in the Midwest will experience some effect from congressional inaction.