Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse: Around Alabama

  There have been quite a few political happenings in the Heart of Dixie during October. Birmingham has elected a new mayor. 36-year-old Randall Woodfin defeated two-term mayor William Bell. 

  I never got to know Bell that well; however, the few times I visited with him he seemed to be an affable fellow. He surely looked like a mayor. His distinguished demeanor and exquisite diction and appearance gave an elegant impression for Birmingham. He looked like he came out of Hollywood central casting.

Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse: What to expect from the Alabama Legislature this session

  The 2014 legislative session began today. Speculation is that it will be short and may not last the full four months allotted.

  The super majority Republican legislature will put their final touch on their four-year march to the right. They have made an indelible conservative mark on state government through both fiscal and social measures.

  The GOP House will emphasize financial incentives for job expansion. They are calling their agenda "Common Sense Conservative." It will include a bill to raise the threshold where small businesses have to pay a monthly estimated income tax from $1,000 to $2,500. They will also make filing state business taxes easier by creating an online tax filing system for all taxes.

Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse: Bingo!

  The year 2012 did not come to an end with a whimper when it comes to newsworthy happenings. A number of significant events occurred in December.

  VictoryLand, the State’s premier privately owned casino, reopened quietly on a Tuesday afternoon with very little fanfare. However, it appears that publicity and advertising are not necessary to attract patrons to the glamorous facility located along interstate I-85 in Macon County. Public officials and the local citizenry have been waiting for the reopening of their largest employer and economic engine for over two years.