Who's a Crook?

Apparently most of us are, at least if we purchase new merchandise online. Ideally, anyone making an online purchase makes note of the amount and when filing their state tax return the next year adds a 4% use tax to their annual tax bill.

So, are we as a state actually doing this? According to the State Department of Revenue, 1.8 million individuals filed returns for 2009, but only 6,800 paid this online use tax.

This brings us back to what we can do to improve the economy in the Shoals area. The State of Alabama is upset at losing its 4% sales tax, but makes no mention of the taxes lost by county and municipal governments. Of the 1.8 taxpayers, not one paid these local taxes. How do state, county, and municipal governments recoup this lost revenue? The answer is there's probably no way to do so unless the online retail businesses charge these taxes--we're not holding our breath.

*****

Judging by readers' questions concerning ethics complaints filed in the state, most of us are equally in the dark concerning this area of government. Today, The Connection published Part I of its series on ethics, violations, and specifically charges currently being pursued by Rhea Tays Michael Fulmer against Lauderdale EMA Director George Grabryan. You can read this informative article here:

Lauderdale EMA Director Under Ethics Complaint

Thought for the day: "...and don't call me Shirley."

Shoalanda

Road, Highway, Interstate, Whatever--We Need It!

Have you ever heard the recipe for mouthwatering gypsy chicken soup? Well...first you steal a chicken. No, we're not suggesting anyone steal anything. We are suggesting the Shoals area has to start somewhere in its quest for better jobs and a higher standard of living.

About three months ago, the TimesDaily published the results of a study showing the Shoals has the second lowest wages/standard of living in the state. This is nothing to be proud of. We realize that the lowest, second lowest, etc., will always belong to some area, but with the natural resources found in the Shoals, it should not belong to northwest Alabama.

After the study was published, there were numerous posts on the TD's forum concerning the problem. For every solution offered, at least one individual produced a rebuttal as to why it wouldn't work. Almost all the posters had valid points, proving that it's not just one thing holding the Shoals back.

We agree that the Shoals will never be the industrial power it once was. We also agree that simply a road, or roads, will not miraculously transform our community into a Detroit or Akron; however, we do think it's a place to start.

If funding were to be secured at this very moment, it would still be 10, 15, or even 20 years before such a connecting link was finished. The important thing is that it would be finished, it would bring some new industry...and that new industry would in turn bring other new industry.

In a little over a month, this state will have new representatives in both Washington and Montgomery. You don't have to be a paid lobbyist to lobby for something. We urge everyone who wants a better future for this area, for this area's next generation, to immediately begin lobbying for a connecting link to I-65.

If we can be as passionate about our area's economic future as we are about football, we'll be well on our way to that bright future everyone talks about, but no one does anything about.

*****

Roads, roads, everywhere a road...well not quite. The State of Alabama is also still working on finishing the southern leg of Highway 133, aka Wilson Dam Road, in Colbert County. What's holding it up?

While we understand most property owners have now agreed to sell the required rights-of-way, there are still a few hold outs. These property owners do not live on these parcels of land, but purchased them for investment purposes; and there's certainly nothing wrong with wishing to make a profit on land sales. There is something wrong with beating the proverbial dead equine.

We recently talked with a gentleman who has several businesses, one of them "playing the stock market." He stated that anyone who deals in stocks on a regular basis and says they've never lost their shirt is telling a lie. We're sure these Colbert County property owners hoped to make a mint off these contested parcels; we're also sure they've made a nice profit off other land deals over the years--you win some, you lose some. These land owners now need to suck it up and sign on the dotted line. We doubt any of them are losing their shirt in this deal; they just aren't making a killing from this particular investment and now they're refusing to play nice.

When eminent domain condemns a homeplace, we feel for those affected. When it condemns land belonging to speculators who don't care about this area, we say more power to it.


Shoalanda

Half the State is Crying in its Turkey

If there should be any of this state's population who didn't have a favorite in yesterday's game, we would guess them to be under the age of three. That means at least half the adult population of Alabama is crying in its turkey today. If we injected an "it's only a game" at this point, we're sure many readers would slam down the cover of their laptops or engage in a violent mouse toss if sitting in front of a desk top.

There's nothing wrong with caring so ardently about one's favorite team. There is something wrong if we care more about football than we do the world in which we live and in which our children will live. It's getting closer to 2011 with every tick of the clock, and by all reports Alabama has lost ground in almost every area this year.

Is there nothing we can do to improve our lot here in the state time forgot? Obviously we don't feel this way or we wouldn't be writing a political blog every day. Tomorrow we'll hone in on a major problem facing the Shoals, and...you know what...it's not one that's insurmountable.


Tomorrow: The road that time and Mike Curtis forgot.

Shoalanda

Where's Trevor, Who's the Dead Angel, and Other Pressing Mysteries

We haven't seen TimesDaily cub reporter Trevor Stokes around in some time. A quick check of the TD archives shows that he hasn't had a byline in a little over two months. Stokes' last article, dated September 19th, came just three short weeks after he reported the current problems at the Barton rail car plant. Of course, we will not be so brazen as to suggest there may be a correlation there; we'll let our readers decide for themselves. After all, the TotallyDecatur wouldn't want to keep its Shoals readers in the dark concerning the state of the economy in our fair corner of the state, now would it?

*****

We regularly receive e-mails from those who claim to be psychic and have even published one or two. Some we receive are cryptic in nature, whether intentionally so or not. We have this week received information from a psychic concerning a local ghost, a ghost that's apparently not resting easy since the demise of his mortal shell a few years ago. Ordinarily we wouldn't publish this particular communication, but since it concerns our favorite haunt Sweetwater, we're eager to hear from any readers who can elucidate us on the subject.

You make fun of Sweetwater, but there's at least one ghost there, I know for certain. He called himself a vampire, the Dead Angel. His girlfriend was a dead countess, also a vampire. The Dead Angel carried a knife and threatened others, but some still loved him. One of those killed him. The Dead Angel doesn't think his murder has been avenged as yet. His killer is now free to roam the grounds at Sweetwater, firing his guns at random and pretending to be someone from the past. If you really want to see a ghost try calling up the Dead Angel.

*****

We've also heard from two readers who purport to have inside info on the payroll situation at the Colbert County 911 office; however, their report of corruption was vague and not nearly as entertaining as that concerning the Dead Angel.

Currently, Crystal Huddleston and a friend have opened Two Peas in a Pod, a monogramming business in Cherokee, and, if there is a real case against the former office manager, it has not yet gone to the grand jury. We understand The Connection will be having more reports on this and related problems in the very near future.


Shoalanda

Happy Thanksgiving 2010!

The above illustration came from a website describing the early days of television in the United States. The text announced that in 1949 television was so rare families who had the wonderful device included it in every aspect of their daily, or even holiday, lives. Now it's 2010, and we suspect that here in Alabama not much has changed in the past 61 years.

Let us all give thanks for our families and friends this Thanksgiving Day--even the ones who support (fill in the blank with Alabama or Auburn). We here at Shoalanda are thankful for all our readers and hope each and every one of you has a great day.


Shoalanda

Decorum Ain't What It Used To Be or Does Your Viagra Lose Its Flavor...

Late yesterday we perused our e-mail and, judging from the amount of communications concerning Rhea Tays Michael Fulmer, we felt another blog devoted to that champion of roaming delinquent traffic cones would most likely be a given; but surely those readers in Colbert and Franklin Counties were now bored by our local practitioner of the absurd. So, as a good friend and correspondent would say, "What will you write about today?"

Have no fear, a reader from Colbert County has saved this Thanksgiving Eve. We shall wax poetic on the subject of Viagra.

"But, Shoalanda," you say, "are you sure this is a proper subject for a political blog?" Hmmm, good point, but it is the mayor's Viagra. We received the following communication from a reader in Cherokee:

Wants you or someone to figure out why this public official and/or so called PREACHER would post anything like this on FB or any kind or social networking site,

Chuck Lansdell I am thankful this year that my Viagra only lasted 3 hours and 59 minutes so i didn't have to go to the hospital.

about an hour ago This is the most ridiculous, disgusting thing I have ever read from a GROWN man. I think this just goes to show everyone how classy this man is. This is what he posted on his FACEBOOK site, quote or no quote from Jay Leno, This just shows he is starving for attention and is going to do or say anything to get it. I think that you should do a story on this to show everyone how disrespectful and PATHETIC this man really is!!!!!!


Perhaps the question is, after Thelma's Thong, does the Preacher's Potency seem that lurid? Let's ask some thought provoking questions here:

1. Would Florence Mayor Bobby Irons discuss erectile dysfunction on Facebook?
2. Would Mrs. Sanford appreciate Ian broaching the subject of their sex life?
3. When was the last time you heard your preacher tell a Viagra joke, on the Internet no less?
4. Would anyone blame Chad Coker for lying about once being Cherokee's Municipal Judge?
5. Does anyone now think Cherokee is anything less than a joke?
6. Did Chuck bet he could get his name in today's blog?
7. Did Rhea pay Chuck to take the heat off her?
8. Does anyone have a photo of Chuck in a thong they could send us?
9. Is the bird in your kitchen a bigger turkey than Chuck?

Check back tomorrow for updates on any recall or divorce actions...


Shoalanda

No New Music Hall of Fame Director/How to Impeach a County Official

Thirty-five individuals initially applied to become the next director of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame; the special selection committee narrowed the choices down to ten. From that ten, the Hall of Fame Board chose two to interview--in executive session for approximately 90 minutes each.

A public board may call "executive session" if a person's good name is in question--too bad Rhea Tays Michael Fulmer never heard of that; however, we have to agree with the TimesDaily on this one. If the two candidates had so much "iffy" behavior in their pasts, why were they even considered in the first place? Of course, it could be that with the Board's background of terminating employees via e-mail, there were no actual top rate candidates who applied.

Now the candidate chosen by the board has refused the job offer, and the search continues. As of last week the Music Hall of Fame has been without a director for seven months. We can hope the HOF will have a new director by the one-year anniversary of David Johnson's infamous e-mail firing.

*****

Been wondering how to impeach a county commissioner? Well, here's the skinny:

Alabama Code 36-11-1 through 36-11-25 outlines impeachment for many elected officials. Section 36-11-19 mentions county commissioners and provides five grounds: willful neglect of duty, corruption in office, incompetency, intemperate use of intoxicating liquors or narcotics, or offense(s) involving moral turpitude in office.

Typically, a district attorney requests that a grand jury investigate alleged misconduct or incompetence for impeachable offenses. If the findings indicate cause, the DA prepares a statement of the facts and a complaint requesting for process and relief to the appropriate trial court of jurisdiction.

An impeachment process requires citizens to meet to determine the evidence or issues regarding incompetence or other charges, and then present their evidence directly to legal counsel or the DA.

After charges are filed with the court, the judge sets a jury trial. During the trial, witnesses for both sides would testify to facts they know that show the accused is or is not guilty of the charges made.

*****

From Doc's Political Parlor concerning Roger Bedford's loss of power and its effect on Russellville (Jumbotron) High School:

The Russelville Tigers have been a football power long before Roger Bedford knew what the four letter words on the Russelville High School boys’ bathroom wall meant.

The Tiger football players will reware (sic) their socks now and ride to the game in the same school bus more than once, that’s all.

Shoalanda