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CAPITOL LETTER By M.J. Ellington MONTGOMERY — When the spirit of bipartisan cooperation trumps personal interest, the result can be a beautiful thing, said Speaker of the House Seth Hammett at his Thursday chat with press. Hammett was referring to a bill that gives the state Ethics Commission subpoena power. The bill’s sponsor was Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery. He is chairman of the Joint Legislative Contract Review Committee, which last fall subpoenaed Finance Department records regarding a no-bid contract awarded to Paragon Source. But a similar bill by Rep. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, was next on the committee agenda after Holmes’ bill. Ward’s bill did not pass, but he sent out a news release commending Holmes. Holmes’ bill had more detail, but Ward’s bill was introduced first in the session. Ward said the important thing was to get subpoena power for the commission that investigates complaints about government employees and wrongdoing. Hammett recognized Ward’s willingness to put that need before the party and commended him. No budgets yet Hammett said legislative budget committees aren’t ready to begin work on the state’s budgets. He said after Massachusetts elected a Republican U.S. senator to fill the seat previously held by the late Ted Kennedy and a long line of Democrats, Congress will think hard about another economic stimulus package. “People are losing their stomach for the federal government borrowing more money,” he said. The budget that Gov. Bob Riley presented to the Legislature relies heavily on additional anticipated stimulus funds, Hammett said. Stalled on road funds House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, said House Republicans are almost evenly split on a $100 million road development and jobs bill that was stalled in the Senate all week. For that reason, Hammett said, he’s not sure how the bill would fare if it reaches the House. There’s no guarantee that it will. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, and other Republicans filibustered the bill most of last week. Orr said he questions whether the bill would produce the number of jobs that Sen. Barron and other Senate Democrats claim. And he said Republicans are concerned about tapping the state’s rainy day trust fund for the 10-year project. Barron said he will amend his bill this week to say that if the Alabama Trust Fund, which would provide the funds for the 67-county program, dips below $2 billion, the road building program would be suspended. Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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