The following transcript of Dr. Bill Meehan's latest radio spot on the
state budget crisis is provided for your information.
There's a fairly painless way to solve the shortfall
in this year's education budget. Each year, Alabama
loses at least $1.6 billion in revenue because special
interest groups have been successful in exempting
certain products from sales tax. For example,
Alabama loses $123.6 million each year due to exemptions
on gasoline, motor fuel and lubricating oil. These
exemptions exist only because lobbyists in those
industries have been successful in protecting those
from fair tax. The state needs $240 million to make up the
shortfall in the K-12 budget AND $266 million for higher
education -- about $500 million. This can be easily
recouped by temporarilhy lifting a few of these
exemptions. Tell your state representatives and
senators you support lifting tax ememptions in favor
of ending the budget crisis in education. It's the right
thing to do.
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