Senate Democrats Focus on Creating Jobs, Education

Democrats in the Alabama Senate plan on supporting bills that protect Alabama’s seniors, children and working families during the 2012 Regular Legislative Session.   Creating jobs is at the top of their agenda by sponsoring and advocating for legislation that establishes new employment opportunities for Alabamians.  Democrats want to ensure that any bill touted as job creating does in fact generate full-time positions within our state.  

“We hope to work with the Republican Supermajority on creating jobs for Alabamians, but we will not support legislation that claims to create jobs and in fact, takes away money from education,” said Senate Minority Leader Roger Bedford (D-Russellville).  

Currently, Alabama’s General Fund is facing a deficit in excess of $500 million between revenue shortfalls this budgetary year and projected revenue losses next year.  Diverting money from the Education Trust Fund to bail out the cash-strapped General Fund is the not solution to the State’s budget woes.  

“Alabama is ranked terribly close to the bottom in support for public education and any bill that takes money away from a child’s classroom is not a solution that we plan on backing,” said Linda Coleman (D-Birmingham).  “If we take more money from education, we erode the future foundation of this state.”

Bedford also said that Democrats will work to protect programs that seniors and children rely on.  

“Fighting harmful cuts, including those to Medicaid and Mental Health, is a top priority for us during this legislative session,” added Bedford.  “We cannot do away with critical services to seniors and children to maintain prisoners.”

Democrats have introduced legislation that repeals the Rolling Reserve Act which is estimated to cost Alabama schools more than $108 million dollars this year alone.  
Plans to introduce bills that close the corporate loopholes in our state is another solution Democrats aim to offer to generate much needed money for Alabama’s schools.  

“We hope that the Republican Supermajority will work with us to find solutions,” said Marc Keahey (D-Grove Hill).  “We can’t continue to balance the budgets on the backs of hardworking families in this state.”