On This We Can Agree

There is one thing this legislative session that Gov. Bob Riley and the Senate Democratic Caucus can agree on: the stimulus rebate tax cut.

Both the governor and the caucus support passing legislation that ensures that the federal tax rebates that turn up in peoples' mailboxes don't get hit with state taxes.

But who gets to take credit for it is a whole different matter.

The Senate Democratic Caucus jumped out first by acknowledging the need to pass legislation to eliminate state taxes on the rebates.

The only problem with that is any bill that deals with money--the expenditure or approrpriation of state funds--has to originate in the House.

While the Dems were working up a bill, Gov. Riley began publicly prevailing on the State Legislature to take action urging them to pass a bill this week.

The problem with that is it takes roughly five legislative days to pass a bill, and that's only if things run smoothly.

As you know, the State Legislature has a problem with smooth.

The Dems finally got their bill together and it is being sponsered by Rep. Terry Spicer, D-Elba.

And just so Riley knows who the Dems think should get the credit for passing the legislation, they wrote himea little letter thanking him in advance for supporting their stimulus plan and urging him to call his fellow Republicans to ask them to support it.

It reads: "Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus look forward to attending our bill signing ceremony with you."

I don't know about you , but if I were a betting woman I would say that Alabamians aren't giving anybody any credit until a bill is signed and their untaxed checks are in the mail.