Ends justify means for Alabama Democrats – Part Deux
Last year Rep. Randy Hinshaw voted on at least three different machines during a vote on whether to eliminate the state sales tax on food AND end the deduction for federal income taxes for many Alabamians. At least one of those votes was contrary to the desires of the absent legislator. While Hinshaw’s vote was clearly unethical he thought it was justified because it furthered his agenda.
Fast forward to this year and we are seeing more of the same antics from a House Democrat. On Wednesday (April Fool’s Day) the House was again voting on the food sales tax bill, except this time Rule 32 was in effect. Rule 32 forbids members from voting for other members unless there is unanimous consent.
For the benefit of any Democrats that happen to be reading this allow me to define the strange word “rule.” From merriam-webster.com:
rule (noun): a prescribed guide for conduct or action
Well guess what, at least one Representative observed Rep. Laura Hall voting on Rep. Patricia Todd’s machine while Rule 32 was in effect. Now, I don’t doubt that Todd would have voted in favor of the bill if she was present, but does that justify Hall clearly breaking a written rule? Only if you’re a Democrat would you see it that way.
FWIW, here is an explanation from the leftists for ALFA’s opposition to the bill:
The reason ALFA and other big multi-state business interests oppose the bill is that the Alabama code allows them to deduct their entire federal tax bill from their Alabama income taxes. If a LLC has operations in several states and pays federal taxes on all those operations, their Alabama operation gets to deduct all those other state operation’s federal taxes on their Alabama return. I hear that this actually allows the Alabama operation to show no taxable income for Alabama income tax purposes. ALFA oposes [sic] it because many of the multi-state farming operations apparently do this.
Interesting tack to take with the argument. Not only does the current paradigm favor evil rich people, it also favors evil rich multi-state corporations.
This is simply not true. I was in the gallery when the BIR vote on HB 116 occurred. I was seated to the Speaker’s left, in the curve. I had a clear view of Rep. Hall in her seat at the end of the third row. She remained seated for the entire vote; she only voted her machine. The empty seat next to Rep. Hall is that of, Republican Rep. Joe Faust from Baldwin. They sit two seats down from Rep. Owen Drake (R – St. Clair and Jefferson). Faut’s seat was empty and his machine was not voted. All the Republicans voted against it or not at all. Don’t lie just because this is the internet. Rep. Todd sits across the floor from Rep. Hall. This is absolutely ridiculous.
This is a cheap political shot on the part of Sam Givhan’s cronies. If you really want change, vote for Sanford. He’s the cleanest one in this all. The Attack Machine being your source for “news” decreases the legitimacy.
I’ll be honest, I’d like to see the hiring freeze stay in effect and not raise taxes ever again. Even cut the state sales tax on everything. But, the Revenue Department will have fits. What do you suggest?
We could always raise the property tax on forest land, you know the kind run by those big corporations whoring out Alabama’s natural products for many dollars for the pennies they give the state. Sure, they’ll pass the cost on to the consumer…so, what do you suggest, Brian?
Dale (of the Attack Machine) claims that Rep. Cam Ward saw the offense. I heard about it from another source. Are you calling Cam one of Givhan’s cronies? (BTW, I am a Sanford supporter)
It’s pretty funny, you claim there’s nothing to this and it’s a lie. Yet, a state Rep. is willing to go on the record with it.
Why is that?
I called Laura Hall’s people and they wouldn’t even call back to confirm or deny. What does that say?
As for the idiotic “Sam Givhan supporter” comment, I can’t think of two entities who have been harder on him on his PAC-to-PAC money than this site or my show.
Lastly, let me ask you this Brian Johnson – If the Democrats in the AL Legislature care so much about this 4% why not just offer up a bill that says kill the 4% food tax?
Is it because they want a “get out the vote” class warfare issue for their voter base to drool over?
Just wonder how many of those multistate LLC’s LLPs are personal injury/mass tort law firms. Rationally, they would want their taxes to stay low (if not non existent).
Brian,
You’re thinking about the first vote. Faust was out of town and sits across the chamber from Laura. Laura does indeed sit next to Todd (in the seat that I had for 2 years). I don’t believe Laura voted at all that day. The second time we had a BIR vote, Patricia Todd and Yusef Salaam were absent, but their machines were voted anyway. Randy Davis, a Republican was also absent, due to the untimely death of a close friend, but his machine was not voted.
By the way, I think the third vote was clean, with no chicanery.
Brian Johnson, kind of feeling a little silly right now aren’t you? The only thing “ridiculous” here is the fact that you haven’t come back to fully apologize for thinking you know everything, and belittling those who i assure you have more information than you, regardless of whether or not they were in the “gallery…”
Rep. Ball, I was referring to the first vote with my comments about the gallery. Confusion is my fault for thinking the bill only came up once. Thank you for clearing this up. Laura was wandering the floor.
The second vote apparently found Pat. Todd in your old seat, and the third vote…apparently, Todd had told the caucus meeting on Wednesday that she would vote yes on the BIR over and over and over again.
Apparently, with Rule 32 in place, the machines of legislators off the floor are to remain locked. Pat. Todd would have voted or possibly left a book pressing Yea, or just simply asked Rep. Hall to proxy vote for her?
At any rate, I didn’t know the Rules Committee was able to bring up the same bill over and over and over again. I would have been in the “gallery” watching all three times. How would I stay abreast of whether or not its coming up in the Special Order calendar again?
I apologize for besmirching the good Rep. Ward’s name. I was under-informed and confused about the House having the bill before it 3 times in 3 legislative days.