In reading The Star’s editorial regarding Alabama’s funding crisis, I was perplexed as to why the editors did not address Gov. Robert Bentley’s stated position that, constructively, there is enough tax money presently available to avert any pending monetary crisis. Maybe that is the reason for the “shrug.”
Specifically, Bentley has stated on more than one occasion that there is $1 billion available now for operational funding. All the state has to do is collect it.
As recently as Dec. 26, reporter Dana Beyerle had an article in the Tuscaloosa News (“Bentley’s past helped pave path to office”) in which he wrote in pertinent part: “Bentley has said, based on information from a source in the Revenue Department, that there are $1 billion in uncollected taxes.” Succinctly stated, why isn’t that money being collected to fund operations? Who was the person (“source”) inside the Department of Revenue who knows about this $1 billion?
Until the “$1 billion” is resolved, please spare us your editorials that constructively imply tax increases.
Dwight W. Pridgen
Montgomery
