State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) is among a growing group of state lawmakers who believe there needs to be an investigation into the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors’ previous administrative services company.
Earlier this week, State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) called for the state’s attorney general to look into Smith Warren Management after a state audit was released Wednesday. Simpson accused the company of “stealing money” from licensing boards.
According to the audit, “the Board purchased a 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe at a cost of $32,500.00. The Board utilized this vehicle to run errands and pick up mail from the Central Mail Room. After the Board’s purchase of the vehicle, the Board’s investigator continued to travel around the state performing investigative duties in a personal vehicle and claim mileage reimbursement, rather than using the Board’s vehicle. Subsequently, on January 31, 2024, the Board purchased a 2023 Ford F-150 at a cost of $56,696.00 and assigned it to the investigator.”
Elliott explained the issue Friday on WVNN’s “The Yaffee Program.”
“[T]he Administrative Services charges covers all kinds of things,” Elliott explained, “license applications handling, license applications, investigations, maybe some paralegal services, travel, things of that nature, right? What I think Representative Simpson is getting at is those findings in that audit report that show that not only did they bill for those services in the administrative services contract, but then they billed for each individual service separately. When they hired additional investigators, or they billed for office furniture or out of the checkbook of the board to operate, you know, their own company. And so you have to wonder is that not at least grift, if not criminal activity? And I think he’s wise to ask the attorney general to look into it.”
Elliott also said this is another reason the Legislature needs to pass licensing and review board reforms.
“This may not be the sexiest thing out there, but it’s something that we need to do,” he said. “It has gotten this way because we’ve ignored it, and we’ve said, ‘Hey, that doesn’t affect us. It just affects electricians, or just affects massage therapists. All of that trickles down, all of it to every everyday life. I am in Montgomery to make sure Alabama government runs as efficiently as possible. And so we need to take this on. And if that means that needing to flex a little bit our super majorities of both chambers, we need to do it.”
The lawmaker believes this won’t just prevent future corruption, but will help Alabama’s economy.
“And as a small businessman myself, it was just sometimes so difficult to comply with the the over regulation, over permitting, over licensing, and it’s very frustrating,” he said. “And so we’ll work on occupational licensing. We’ll also work on some over regulation and permit and licensing issues. This year, I’ve got another bill pre-filed that deals with that… And it’s just time we say we’re business friendly. We say small business is the backbone of Alabama.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
