Bradley Byrne's Bad Week Raises Questions About His Candidacy

by: countrycat

Fri Jan 08, 2010 at 15:52:39 PM CST

Former Democrat and GOP candidate for governor, Bradley Byrne, is widely considered to be the frontrunner for the nomination. (Danny at the Political Parlor says: "Favorite of the state's GOP establishment is still the one to beat.")

Yet Byrne has found himself pretty much beaten by the news cycle this week.  What's amazing is how self-inflicted the wounds are.  From PACT to the Bible, Mr. Byrne seems to be having trouble choosing a position and sticking with it.

Furthermore, he's proving to be a candidate who's not just full of what King Cockfight calls "gentle Caucasian charm," but a comparatively thinskinned one too.  You have to wonder how he'll stand up under the pressures of a hard-fought primary and/or general election.

It's been pretty amazing to watch Byrne pull off a political hat trick and alienate these three important constituencies... all in one week:

• Approximately 45,000 PACT contract holders, their families, and friends.
• The Biblical inerrancy crowd that seems to form the base of Alabama's Republican Party.
• His own hometown paper - the Mobile Press-Register.

Alabama PACT: One Step Forward & One Step Back

by: countrycat

Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 11:16:28 AM CDT

Alabama's troubled Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) program was in the news yesterday as some legislators search for ways to fix the program. 

Representative Greg Wren (R-Montgomery) held a press conference yesterday to announce a package of PACT-related bills:

State Rep. Greg Wren plans to introduce a three-bill legislative package that, if passed, would make it state policy to honor all of the existing 48,000 PACT contracts.

[...]

Wren's package would also redesign the PACT board, make that board report to the state Legislature on an annual basis and report to a new 25-member advisory task force on a quarterly basis. The task force would include legislators and two PACT contract holders from each of the seven congressional districts. Legislators also would serve on the new PACT board.

That's the good news.

The bad news? Huntsville Times reporter, Bob Lowry, covered the State Board of Education meeting yesterday:

The state Board of Education Thursday approved tuition increases of 19.7 percent for all of Alabama's two-year community and technical colleges. 

As the four-year colleges and universities have increased tuition at rates approaching 10% per year (or more!), the community colleges and two-year colleges have been been the only bright spot as PACT writes tuition checks for contract holders.

On the flip, Alabama Treasurer candidate, Jeremy Sherer, shares his thoughts and Kay Ivey changes her tune and welcomes PACT contract holder involvement!

Kay Ivey Discourages Parents from Attending PACT Board Meeting

by: mooncat

Tue Aug 18, 2009 at 11:30:01 AM CDT

The Alabama Prepaid (just kidding) Affordable College Tuition (PACT) Board is meeting tomorrow in Montgomery. If you are a parent, Treasurer Kay Ivey doesn't want you there. From Bob Lowry in the Huntsville Times this morning:

[PACT grandparent Patti] Lambert said Ivey discouraged PACT parents in phone calls from attending the board meeting Wednesday. "She told us to save our gas money and donate it to the program," Lambert said. "I said, 'Kay, I haven't come for years, and look what happened.' "

If you're a PACT parent or grandparent, please consider attending the meeting tomorrow. As Benjamin Franklin said, “A little neglect may breed great mischief.” In the case of PACT, it already has. What's at stake now is how to disentangle the mess and how much pain will be inflicted on PACT holders and their families. Don't neglect the PACT Board again. The RSA report on the PACT debacle is now in the hands of the Governor and members of the Legislature. I suggest you contact your state Representative and Senator to ask them to please read the report and schedule a time to listen to your concerns after they have done so.

The PACT Board of Directors will meet August 19, 2009 at the State Capitol in Montgomery, Archives Room, at 1:30 pm.

Governor Riley Should Release RSA's Study of Alabama PACT In Time For August Board Meeting

by: countrycat

Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 08:00:00 AM CDT

Odd From the PACT Web site.....

August 6, 2009 - We have been informed that RSA has been directed to share the PACT study with the senate leadership and Governor  prior to its release to the PACT Board.  Additionally, it is not to be released until after the expected special session of the Legislature.  A date for the special session has not been set by the Governor at this time.  Therefore, the results of this study will not be available to the Board at the meeting August 19^th. 

Ok now, the last time PACT was in the news, we heard from RSA Deputy Director, Marcus Reynolds, who said that PACT could be saved:

Reynolds said he is still reviewing the study and said he won't release details before presenting findings to Gov. Bob Riley sometime between Aug. 10 and the Aug. 19 PACT board meeting. Then, Reynolds will immediately send copies of the study to lawmakers and release it to the public.

The study was completed weeks ago.  The special session just started on the 17th and the Senate is expected to vote on the Jefferson County bill today, thereby wrapping up the session.  Surely someone could have taken some time to look at it earlier in the month.

Or they could look at it before next Wednesday! Isn't the PACT issue important enough for Governor Riley and Legislative leaders to work the weekend to review the study?  'Cmon guys!  It's not even football season yet!!

Statements from Ron Sparks and Treasurer candidate, Jeremy Sherer, are on the flip.