Jackson County Commission Meeting--More Dog & Pony Show Politics

More Dog and Pony Show politics at the County Commission.

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Note item -W- on the agenda. "Motion to approve a $.89 (89cents) per hour cost of living increase for all county employees including elected officials." The motion carried and was approved. Daily Sentinel Article: http://www.thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=04c39fb548ec8965 kudos to Commissioner Clemmons for voting NO on this issue. This will cost the citizens $450K plus.

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The Code of Alabama Section 11-2A-4 states the following in regard to "Compensation of Increases."(a) " Beginning with the fiscal year commencing on October 1, 2001, the local officials covered by this chapter shall be entitled to the same uniform increases in compensation, including cost-of-living increases, longevity increases, merit raises, and bonuses that are granted to county employees by the county commission at the time of the approval of the county budget. The increases shall be in the same amount or percentage, as the case may be, as that amount or percentage increase provided to the county's employees; provided, however, no tax assessor, tax collector, revenue commissioner, license commissioner, elected assistant tax assessor, or elected assistant tax collector shall receive an expense allowance as provided in subdivision (3) of Section 11-2A-2 and an increase under this subsection in the same fiscal year."

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89 cents per hour for each county hourly wage employee equates to how much money for the elected and appointed officials? I could understand a 2-3% percentage increase, but a 89 cents per hour raise for elected officials? Exactly how much money are the commissioners hiding in their personal cost of living increase? Could this equate to an excessive 6%-9% cost of living increase?

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Ken Bonner, Managing Editor of The Daily Sentinel, in an OpEd article on September the 14th raises important points. http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=098ada9d52c9c80e "The proposal, by Jack Allen, is to give every employee (and there are approximately 245 of them) an 89 cent an hour raise...in today’s economy many people in Jackson County and across the country have gone without raises for some time. ...My point — before using local tax dollars when revenue is down — think long and hard. ...Under Allen’s proposal the county would be out slightly over $453,000 to fund the raises. That’s not chump change and it can’t be taken away." In closing Ken says, "I’m just trying to make sense of it. Help me if you can. "

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Ken, there is no sense in it, it is another example of another irresponsible management decision on the part of the current Jackson County Commission. One exception, District 4 Commissioner Horrace Clemmons voted NO on the issue.

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Item X on the agenda, the Jackson County Commission voted to close the South entrance to the Court House. Sheriff Miller stated that he would have to terminate 2 employees as the county Commission will not fund the security position. http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=3a198db43d5d87c0

Election to Watch, Senate District 8

The Barron(D)--McGill(R) election for District 8 Alabama Senate will be the election to watch come November. Will the Tea Party organization and Jackson County Patriots, both Republican organized, make a difference in the upcoming November election?
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Jackson County has been a traditional ultraconservative Democrat bastion. The political attacks pointed at President Obama via Fox News and other Republican Party mouthpieces are effective. The Democrats have done a terrible job countering the attacks of the Tea Party/ Republican Party propaganda mouthpieces. The Democrat counter arguments have been fractionalized and noneffective. The Democrats lack luster counter arguments concerning protecting the conservative wing, Blue Dogs, (Senator Barron) will be costly this November. I think the District 8 election will be separated by less than 500 votes.
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The Ballotpedia site lists stats on past elections and other info on Senator Barron. http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Lowell_Barron
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What is interesting to note is the necessary numbers to win an election. The magic figure is 17,400, less than 2500 votes separated Barron and Stout in the last election. With less than 60 days out from the election I've seen Shad McGill ads on TV, his wife and children made a showing at the Labor Day First Monday event, not much visibility from Senator Barron at this point.

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Senator Lowell Barron's Site: http://senatorbarron.org/

Mr. Shadrick McGill's Site: http://www.shadrack2010.com/

The Republican's "Southern Strategy" = Racism

An expose on the Republicans Southern Strategy on "Scottsboro Stories:" http://scottsborostories.blogspot.com/2010/09/republicans-southern-strategy-racism.html

Scottsboro, Alabama, Labor Day First Monday, 2010

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

With very little traditional media advertising, i.e. print, TV and radio media advertising, this Labor Day First Monday had large crowds.

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The City of Scottsboro does have an excellent web site. The site information needs updating. http://www.cityofscottsboro.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=227

First Monday History:

http://www.cityofscottsboro.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=135&Itemid=228

The Chamber of Commerce also has excellent basic information concerning First Monday.

http://www.jacksoncountychamber.com/area-information/attractions/43-firsmondayweekend
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Saturday started out slow but crowds picked up about 10AM and maintained a steady pace until 1PM when they began to thin. Art Sunday's crowds were strong after 10AM on the square. Many patrons told me that Art in the Park was going strong and large crowds were present.

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Mondays showing was the strongest with over 7500 estimated at 11AM till 1PM. I always ask visitors where they are from, the distance winner was a lady visiting us from France. Patrons were present from across the nation including California and Vermont, many from across the Southeastern U.S., including towns and cities across Alabama.

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Trading saw decreased numbers, down by 50% from 2008 and 40% from 2009. Most patrons were curiosity visitors. Many folks appear to be hoarding cash instead of spending it on collectible items. However, rare historical curiosities and numismatic gold/silver trades were to be found.

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The fact trading occurred in decreased numbers does not mean customers were not buying, it does mean First Monday is reflective of our economy. If jobs are plenty and the economy is doing well First Monday has an excellent turn out with lots of trades. When "money is tight," customers are reluctant to make purchases.

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First Monday is reflective of our economic times.

Alabama's Republican Candidate for Governor, Robert Bentley's Weak Point

Does the Republican candidate for governor, Robert Bentley, support antiquated Separate but Equal, does he support abolishing the Civil Rights Act? I have asked him and his campaign, he refuses an answer.
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"State Rights" Bentley's position on seperate but equal. 1) "...state governments are free to make their own laws and exercise their own discretion." 2) "I believe the Tenth Amendment establishes limits on the federal government, which have not been enforced. As Governor, I will defend the sovereignty of the State of Alabama, and I will support our right govern ourselves under our own laws and to make our own decisions without federal interference." http://www.robertbentley2010.com/index.php?page=protecting-our-constitutional-rights (The link listed was the link of Robert Bentley's political platform. It has been removed and replaced with "RB 2010 - Random Banter" How convenient considering the legal actions being taken against Alabama due to Bentley's racist policies based on state rights.)

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"Without Federal interference," does this "without Federal interference" concern the enforcement of the Civil Rights Act? The U.S. Government abolished Jim Crow laws in Alabama through the Civil Rights Act. Vestiges of Jim Crow still remain in Alabama's Constitution.

Scottsboro City Council Meeting

August 31, 2010 Regular City Council Meeting 1) City Clerk approved to issue certificate of election to wining candidates. 2) 2 provisional ballots were received however they were not approved as it was stated they were not residents of Scottsboro. 3) City Alcohol Sales Ordinace was amended and approved to sell draft beer. This amendment will become effective after the new law is published in the Daily Sentinel. http://www.thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=fee429122d51e810