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Barron outlines his plans

By Jared Felkins
The Times-Journal

Published January 6, 2009

State Sen. Lowell Barron issued a challenge to those gathered at community chats in Valley Head and Mentone on Monday night.

Barron, D-Fyffe, wants to know what issues are on the minds of DeKalb County people as he prepares for the state Legislature to convene on Feb. 3.

“I don’t know all the solutions,” Barron said. “We’re in challenging times right now. Working together we will overcome. With challenges bring opportunities.”

Barron, who is the Senate Rules Committee Chairman and is in his 27th year as a state senator, outlined projects in the works, as well as plans he wants to take to Montgomery with him.

He said a third Interstate 59 interchange in north Fort Payne – the third phase in improving infrastructure on U.S. 11 – should be completed by the end of 2009.

“The stuff going on in Fort Payne we’ve been working on for years,” Barron said. “I wish we would have finished it 10 years ago. It will really be something nice for north Fort Payne and Valley Head.”

Barron also said in securing $1 million in new funding for DeKalb County schools has allowed for several building projects, including a new playground at Moon Lake School and gym at Valley Head School.

“No community has needed a new gym worse than this school,” Barron said.

Barron said he also wants to see a bill passed that would increase the penalties for those caught fleeing or attempting to elude police. Introduced in the 2008 Legislature, Barron said the bill was narrowly defeated that would make the penalty a Class C felony. He said he plans to bring the bill back up in the upcoming Legislature.

Barron also outlined a state economic stimulus package he plans to introduce that includes upgrades of roads and bridges across Alabama. He said plans are to fund a $1 billion project for infrastructure improvements that will create new jobs across the state. And at least 25 percent of that funding would go directly to counties.

Barron said other plans include a homeowner stimulus plan to help lower interest rates, an Alabama lending initiative to invest money in state banks and a workforce housing construction plan. He said he’s waiting on the federal government to finalize its economic stimulus to finalize these plans.

“I think in the state of Alabama we have a role to play,” Barron said. “We need to cooperate and know what role we will play.”

Barron said Legislators would continue to try and do away with the state’s 4-percent tax on groceries. But he said he would not support an income tax increase to offset the $300 million-$400 million lost by the grocery tax that would otherwise go to fund schools.

“We’re not over funding our schools, so we have to be careful not to knock a big hole in our funding,” Barron said.

Barron said the Legislature is currently eying more cuts in the state education budget by as much as one fifth. He said he supports a gambling tax on electronic bingo and other gambling currently in question across Alabama.

“This stuff has sprung up like kudzu,” Barron said. “I support a tax on gambling that would help fund education.”

On the minds of the more than 100 in attendance in both Valley Head and Mentone were further funding for the state Council on the Arts, a protection plan for Little River, a later school start date and animal control.

Barron said he would consider each idea as he gets ready for the upcoming legislative session.

Barron’s community talks continue with a meeting with DeKalb County and city elected officials today at 11:30 a.m. at Western Sizzlin in Fort Payne.

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