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List those double-dippers
04-06-2007 - from A.P., Associated Press
BILLS SPONSORED by two Republican legislators would shed more light on Alabama's shadow government of lawmakers who hold jobs with state agencies.
This kind of double-dipping should be banned because it creates a clear conflict of interest for legislators who deal with issues that could affect their other government-paid jobs. It's extremely difficult for lawmakers to effectively serve two masters: the people they represent and the public institutions that pay their salaries.
But a ban on double-dipping is a tough sell in Montgomery. According to news reports, a large number of legislators -- perhaps as many as a third -- have direct or indirect financial ties to the scandal-wracked community college system. It's not clear how many legislators have such ties to other state agencies.
If legislation proposed by Rep. Mike Ball, R-Huntsville, and Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, becomes law, the public would be able to learn the full extent of the possible ethical conflicts in the Legislature.
The proposal, which was developed by the Alabama Policy Institute, would require elected state officials to disclose to the secretary of state's office the jobs or contracts they or their spouses have with state agencies. This information would then be made available to the public on the secretary of state's Web site.
Public disclosure should put more pressure on legislators to ban double-dipping. Disclosure would make it easier to trace the connections between legislators, state agencies and legislation affecting state agencies where lawmakers are employed.
Still, the ultimate goal should be to stop the double-dipping and dismantle the legislativeexecutive branch complex in Montgomery. In essence, legislators who also work for state agencies occupy both the legislative and executive branches of government. This disturbs the constitutional separation of powers and leaves the public vulnerable to all sorts of abuses.
If legislators won't ban double-dipping, they should at least level with their constituents about it.
Alabama News