Joe Turnham: Governor would have had power to appoint commission

Recent legislation regarding the creation of an independent Transportation Commission for Alabama died on a split vote in an Alabama Senate committee. The concept of the legislation and parts of the legislation enjoyed bi-partisan support, yet died because of several emerging legitimate concerns that could not answered.

I shared those concerns and believe a better bill and better methods of improving transparency and planning in transportation for Alabama can be achieved with time and bi-partisan cooperation.
While Gov. Bob Riley hyped this legislation as a way to end political influence in transportation decisions, the legislation would have allowed the governor himself to stack the political deck for years to come by making all of the appointments to the new commission. Even after leaving office, the governor and his former staff could lobby and influence the priorities of transportation for years to come and voters would have no political recourse.

Recently, Riley espoused new long-term plans that included toll roads for Alabama built by private companies and financed by foreign sources of funds. Companies represented by consultants of the likes of former New York governor and presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani and his associate, Marc Mukasey, the son of current U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey are now vying for Alabama toll road business in light of Riley’s efforts. Do Alabama voters really want to turn our transportation future over to an appointed board of a retired governor and invite foreign ownership of our roads?

Governors have traditionally used the old Highway Department, now the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), as political leverage. However it is the voters who have grown to demand infrastructure upgrades in transportation. They expect their legislators and the governor to be able to meet the special needs of each community. To insulate a commission of political appointees of one governor from any and all political influence could deny voters accountability in transportation decisions.

Taxpayers in urban centers like Jefferson County complain that the bulk of tax dollars are coming into ALDOT come from them; yet, they do not receive commensurate funding for local projects. Rural voters with less electoral strength must rely on powerful, vociferous representatives and senators to fight to replace their broken bridges and pave dirt roads. Will commissioners on an appointed board be as sensitive to these communities? Black belt and majority-minority communities suffer the most from a lack of modern transportation infrastructure, but cannot be assured a Riley-appointed board will hear their concerns.

If independent commissions for policy-making decisions in transportation are formed, they should reflect the diversity of Alabama. The appointments should be required to have racial, gender and regional diversity. They should include both industry and labor. It should be composed of democrats, republicans and independents. The current system can and should be improved. But each of us has a responsibility to utilize our power as voters to influence transportation decisions. The Joint Legislative Committee on Transportation has oversight and legislative authority in the current system. The director of transportation of ALDOT is accountable directly to the governor, who himself is directly accountable to the voters.

East Alabama historically has fared well in transportation decisions. ALDOT has many professionals and the many directors of ALDOT over the years have worked hard for Alabama. Legislative panaceas to cure problems are tempered with the realities of politics. You can’t take the politics out of politics. But we must be vigilant as voters that we don’t give up the ultimate accountability; the ability to remove from office by way of the ballot box those officials who don’t meet the needs of our communities.

Joe Turnham is the Alabama Democratic Party Chairman.