Tuesday, State Rep. Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) appeared on WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show” to update the public on the status of the bill he is drafting in response to issues raised on the program concerning the state subsidizing local newspapers to the tune of a couple of million dollars a year.
Sorrell noted that there is a bill being drafted by the Legislative Services Agency in Montgomery, which is responsible for crafting legislators bills so they are both legal and effective.
When asked about the bill, Sorrell mentioned the cost of the current legal notice law to local municipalities, its impact on local business and the overall impact of good government not being served by a law that creates cost across all facets of government with little actual benefit. The problem is so complex that Sorrell is still attempting to get a grasp on the significant cost to state government by the current law that requires the publication of legal notices in newspapers, which brings in significant business to those entities and creates a significant cost to taxpayers.
On Wednesday, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong discussed the burden of legal notices created by the law Sorrell is trying to change, saying on “The Dale Jackson Show” that it would be welcome by Madison County’s government. Strong called the legal advertisement “a waste,” adding it doesn’t “benefit the taxpayers of our county one bit.”
For clarity:
- The state of Alabama spends up to $800,000 each year.
- The city of Huntsville spends up to $115,000 each year.
- Madison County spends up to $153,000 each year.
Not looking to complain about an issue without a solution, Strong believes there are better ways to reach people.
“It’s just not a way to hit the masses,” he stated. “You can do it online, [there are] a lot more economical ways to do it.”
Sorrell mentioned that he would prefer a state-run website, maybe through the Secretary of State’s Office that could host the public notices at a greatly reduced cost. He shared he is going to work with current Secretary of State John Merrill on developing the best way to handle the issue.
The dollars at stake here for newspapers is significant. The Alabama Press Association has worked to kill previous attempts at bills like Sorrell’s, and legislators have said they are lobbying pretty hard against Sorrell’s idea before he even has a bill officially filed.
Sorrell:
Strong (18:10 mark:
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN
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