Joe Turnham: Sense of urgency prevalent among state leaders

Veteran legislators of both parties over the past several weeks have told me that the set of issues and circumstances facing the State of Alabama in this session are the most extreme of their lifetime.

There is a sense of seriousness and emergency confronting these state leaders that mandates that partisan gridlock and rhetorical one-upmanship not become part of the day.

The absolute priority of Democrats in this current environment is to persevere while crafting the best possible education and general fund budgets to fund the basic operations of state government. Revenue from 2008 to 2010 budget years has dropped 16 percent in less than 24 months. The economic crisis puts Democrats and Republicans in the sober posture of cutting into the bone of many state services.

Crafting the state budgets that will do the least harm to seniors in nursing homes, children in the classroom, troopers on the highway and the sick at public hospitals will require bipartisanship and statesmanship from every member.

Much of what will happen to our looming budget deficit and subsequent cuts hinge on the current economic stimulus and recovery legislation currently moving through the Congress. Alabama would see huge infrastructure investments and economic pump-priming for our state if this measure passes the Congress. President Obama and Democrats are leading this effort, which this week gained the support of the Republican Governors Association.

Beyond the budget crisis, Democrats are pushing to eliminate the sales tax on groceries, thus increasing the purchasing power for food for Alabama families. Alabama is still one of only a couple of states in America that tax baby formula, bread and milk. This past week, Democrats successfully moved this legislation out of House committee on a voice vote over GOP opposition. Republicans hopefully will become part of this positive effort to put more food on Alabama tables during this ever deepening recession.

More than 600 bills were introduced on the first legislative day. Democrats again introduced ethics and campaign finance reform bills, including legislation previously vetoed by Governor Riley, which bring sunshine to the unreported influence within the executive branch from former cabinet staffers turned lobbyists. A bipartisan group of legislators is pushing 11 bills to make Alabama more energy independent and efficient. Our Democratic Speaker supports these bills proposed by the Permanent Joint Committee on Energy. Democrats hope the legislation provides new incentives for Alabama farmers and entrepreneurs to invest in producing new jobs through renewable energy.

Democratic Senators have proposed their own $1 billon infrastructure package for roads, highways and bridges over a 10-year period using trust funds. Dire economic times require bold action. Hundreds of bridges in all Alabama’s 67 counties are dangerously substandard. School buses and commercial trucks cannot cross many of these bridges, stifling commerce and economic activity. Our Democratic plan would address real infrastructure needs in each of the 67 counties, all while getting Alabama contractors and workers back to work.

By preserving Medicaid funding, Democrats hope to add 50,000 new Alabama children to the roles of the insured. These children often go without basic health or dental care. Half of Alabama’s hospitals are losing money and many may close. Democrats believe new health care investment and reform must happen now before we lose this capacity to serve all our citizens.

The myriad of problems we face in this session don’t need to be saddled with 2010 partisan electoral maneuvering. Voters will make their judgment based on how we respond to this crisis. For now, we should collectively be working to save jobs, homes, schools, and especially hope: anything less fails the people.

Joe Turnham lives in Auburn and is chairman of the Alabama Demcratic Party.