Editorials

At times, Gov. Bob Riley has been one of the most forceful spokesmen for what he and many other politicians call the "hard-working families of Alabama."

At other times, he seems to almost take delight in dashing the hopes of the very same "hard-working families of Alabama" he champions.

Back when he first took office, Riley proposed a plan that, among other things, would have lifted the tax burden from some of our poorer citizens and shifted it to those who had the financial resources to bear it. He stumped the state touting his proposal, asking our citizens to "do the right thing."

Unfortunately, those on whom the burden would be shifted fought back, and the governor's effort failed.

But Riley did not give up. As the economy improved and more revenue came in, the governor proposed — and got members of his party to join with Democrats to pass — legislation that raised the state income tax threshold. That way, Alabama no longer held the distinction of taxing the incomes of people making less than $10,000 a year.

The "hard-working families of Alabama" and those who wanted the state to treat them better thanked him.

Now a proposed constitutional amendment has arrived that will do the very thing that Riley sought when he first entered office. It will lift the tax burden on those "hard-working families of Alabama"
from whom the state takes so much and shift that burden to those who can more easily afford it.

This will be done by removing the tax on groceries and increasing the state income tax deduction for individuals and families. To be sure that this does not hurt the "hard-working families of Alabama" by cutting funds to education, the proposed amendment will do away with the state tax deduction for federal income taxes paid — something that mainly benefits people in the upper-income brackets.

Just the sort of thing Riley advocated five years ago.

Now he opposes it.

According to the governor's office, if the proposal goes to a vote of the people Riley will urge the people to reject it. Why? Because it will mean a tax increase for 30 percent of our citizens.

Never mind that it will mean tax relief — or no change — for 70 percent of the "hard-working families of Alabama."

Never mind that the majority of the 30 percent that the governor wants to protect will pay roughly the equivalent of a monthly meal at a local restaurant.

Never mind that those who pay more than that are those making more than $100,000 a year and can more easily afford it.

And never mind that by replacing the revenue lost with this tax cut, education funds will not be reduced. That's a critical point, since education, as the governor has often said, is the key to improving the lot of the "hard-working families of Alabama."

Never mind any of this, for apparently the governor doesn't.

By his own admission, Riley is more concerned with keeping a tax break for the 30 percent of Alabama taxpayers who don't need it than for giving a tax break and educational opportunities to the 70 percent who do.

Will the real Bob Riley stand up?

Surely, this isn't him.