FM Talk 1065 Podcasts
Fmr State Sen. Rusty Glover - Jeff Poor Show - Friday 8-16-24
Calton flowers on the wall that don't bother me at all. Playin' solitaire took dawn with the deck of fifty-one. Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' captain payin' anger in, I don't tell me I've nothin' to do. Welcome back to the Japore Show, and if I talk 10065, they just stickin' around on this Friday morning. 2-5-1-3-4-3-0-1-0-6. You need to be a touch for the show. All you gotta do is text me. There's one text I get to here in the next segment. I think it's important text. But as you can well just stay tuned for that. Joining us now, a blast in the past. Well, it's been a long time. It's just pre-session. So here we are. I have not asked you to be. It's probably my fault. Six months now. But former state senator Rusty Glover making time for us. Always a pleasure. Senator, good morning. How you been? Just fine. Great to be on the program, Jeff. Hey, thanks for makin' time for us. Well, you and I are talkin' about this off air, and I've been talkin' about it a lot this morning, and I kind of, Todd Stacey, I don't know what to do with that. But there was a committee, a joint committee hearing yesterday in Montgomery, and they were talkin' about school funding, and they wanted to, the claim is this. We have this outdated formula from the 1930s, and then they tried to, or adjusted in the 90s, but we're paying out from the state money per pupil, per head, or whatever to these systems. And that is not, that is not the best use of the money. We need to update our formula. And what I don't understand is, okay, but they claim you're not gonna take any money from these systems. How do you, what do you think is this idea of, I guess we call it equity funding? I mean, is there a real appetite for that in Alabama? Well, I'll assure you, it's not a big appetite in Ball and County, because a good reason why they're increasing property taxes from time to time is because they're losing so much money to other counties. And you can understand, to a certain extent, you know, those from Monroe, Virginia, Columbia, Washington, Clark County, those residents, they go down and stay in the condos, spend money in the restaurants, okay, understand a little bit of that. But any more equity funding releases of Ball and County money to other counties, or Mobile County, is, to the point where they would have to have a property tax to raise money to keep up with current expenses would be ridiculous. And I can understand any kind of a pushback towards a new formula which would actually take money away, and absolutely it would take more money away from some of these schools that have, the people have invested through their property taxes and built programs and school buildings and systems that something they're proud of. Listen, I saw the part I didn't understand was like, okay, we're, we got this pot of money and there are systems that have more need, which we're going to determine whatever the definition of need is, but they need to get more money out of this pot. Well, there has to be a loser somewhere and no one can really explain that to me. Well, at least I haven't asked enough, I guess. But I mean, that's just how this works, right? Right, and a lot of times, a lot of us get the picture that there are school systems where the schools, the buildings are just about to collapse or in such poor condition, and that's not really the case. I mean, there was one particular county in West Alabama that had some schools that are not in that greatest shape, probably in better shape than the schools that I went to in Mobile County in the 70s and 80s, but they're not bad. Most of the schools, the high schools I go to, five, six, seven, eight schools, they're immaculate. I mean, they're just, they're incredible shape. And this is all over some of these, some of these counties you think that are poor counties, the schools are in great shape. I mean, I'm going to every middle school and high school in the state, and I've visited each one of them over the last five years, and I'll assure you, they're in good shape. And many of them are there, they're so much in much better shape than, you know, capital building plans. The needs are not, there may be some in some places, but they're not as big as what people think. And to have sympathy and say, we need to take money from Baldwin County and Mobile County and send it up to some of these poor counties because their buildings are falling apart. That's just not the case. Well, I just, I don't, I guess there's, maybe there's some things they can do in the margins. We have more special needs students or whatever. But even then, I mean, you still got to take from the rich and give to the poor, which is sort of, I mean, where this whole, I mean, I used the term rich very loosely. Their definition of rich versus what really rich means, but you got to take from the haves and get to the have-nots. That's, that's just, that's just flat out social. And another thing too, Jeff, a lot of these schools in the rural areas, especially in the black belt, they are losing population like you wouldn't believe. There are some schools that I've gone to that maybe a third of the buildings occupied or some of them even less than that because people have moved out of those counties into other places and are we, are we sending money to the schools or losing population and disproportionate measure? I don't know, but it's, you know, the more I hear about this, it's, it's more distressing because, you know, this could be Mobile County as well as Baldwin County that loses money to this equity funding problem. Well, I, I think it's like, there was a dust up and you are talking about this. Eric Mackie had given some comments and some kind of webinar or whatever. He got picked up by our buddies at Land Yap. Say, look, you want to change this formula. That's great. But if you're not going to take money from other districts, then you've got to have additional revenue either from economic growth or from a $2 billion tax increase. That's how you make this work. And it was sort of a freak out from Chairman Garrett. Like, that's not true at all. You, why would you say that? Why would you say that publicly? And then again, you know, he, Mackie sort of recanted or whatever. But like me looking at it, like, maybe he's not wrong. Like, if you want to do more for the have-nots and you don't want these local system, these, like Auburn or Vestavia or Bali County or Mountain Brook or whatever, not to get less money, then you would have to find more money somewhere else. Now, and with the growth of the education trust fund budget each and every year to this level of, I think it's probably close to $9 billion, $9 billion. The money certainly has been there over the last few years. I mean, increase in taxes or property taxes would be unbelievable with the growth in the economy and the growth of the money coming into the ETF as it has been the last three or four years especially. Well, I just, it comes down to this to me and, I mean, I don't have a child in the public schools yet. But like, I pay significantly higher property taxes and I want, you know, this is what we made this decision. My wife and I because we want the best for our children and because we have taken this responsibility because we have saved and tried to find the right place. No, you have enough. We're going to get to these people who need more just seems like such a ill-conceived idea. Yeah, yeah, I just can't imagine. I remember one person in particular was Representative Randy Davidson. He would fill me in because he was with the school system in Mobile in Bowen County and he would fill me in on some of the equity funding issues and the frustration that folks in Bowen County were going through. And so I got a better understanding of that. And I can appreciate the frustration of those, especially in Bowen County, who have tax increased after tax increased property tax and then to see more of their money go somewhere else. I can see it could be extremely frustrating. Joy, my former state Senator Rusty Glover, always a pleasure. Senator, somebody else you're talking about, I don't know how much you keep up with the ongoing of the Business Council of Alabama, but they had their big gathering and point clear last week. The 2026 election cycle, Senator Schofield gave a very aggressive speech saying, look, we're going to really go. We're really going to go hard here. You better be pro business. It's the BCA. They seem to have lost some of their swagger over the years. I don't know, but are they trying to like, do you see them as trying to come back and restore some of the lost worry of like, I think 10 years ago or so? Well, you know, cheesy or Wednesday, when you got back, you mentioned that. And that was the first I had heard because of course I didn't go to the BCA conference, but you know, Clay Schofield sat right in front of me in the Senate and it just sounded out of character for him to be making comments in a more of a threatening way, which some of the, I talked to one house member from the mobile area day before yesterday, and that's the way they took it. But yeah, it is interesting that they're going to get more involved in campaigns. And of course, I've taken interest in that because I'm very strongly, strongly looking to be a part of that. I want to, I would love to get back into the legislature. And so it's something, it's the sport, my interest, that they're going to be involved in campaigns to that extent. But he, you know, I don't, you know, for a while, what I've heard is kind of vague issues. What do you mean, is it the mandatory back thing? Is that going to be an issue that you people are supposed to turn away from the people and go with what the lobbyists are telling them to do? I mean, what's involved here? What issues is he talking about? But, you know, I don't know. You know, not being there, I'm kind of in the dark on exactly what was there. I know the reactions was not, were not taken very well. Well, it was very aggressive. Now, look, I'm basing all of my response or what I, I was a Yellow Hammer report and I've talked to a few lawmakers who aren't there. And then they're a little perturbed by this as well. But, Sarah, first of all, we go any further. I mean, was that an official announcement of a... No, no, it was not. I would have to, I would have to go through paperwork and all of this kind of stuff and get campaign stuff together for the Secretary of State's office. Whatever's involved in that, I don't really actually remember. But I'm definitely, I'm definitely looking forward to doing that. That's the, you know, the campaign would not officially start for another 10 months. But it ain't just to get back there and do the work. I mean, I'll be honest, I'll be honest with you and the listeners. I mean, I ran for a state auditor primarily to get back into action to be of help, the idea of public servant and, of course, being outspend 18 to 1. That kind of, it didn't, in my chances of doing that, which was fine. But I would do, I would serve best where here. That's what I did in the past and I feel more comfortable doing that. And I mean, I was able to get over 75% of the votes of the precincts in this area, even when I was outspend 18 to 1. In the previous election, 10 to 1, 11 to 1, so I feel like I would be in a great position to, again, continue to serve the people in an area. But as far as official announcement, it would be several months away. So, so we got the Rusty Gilever Exploratory Committee here, perhaps, or something about that. Yeah, that would be a better way to put it. Yeah. So, but back to 26. And now, Senator Williams is running for a commissioner, so that seat is obviously opening. But I sometimes station about this as well. I mean, you know, you typically see a lot of like turnover. Then there were a few incumbents who got knocked off, like Kelvin Lawrence, Democrat, Charlotte Meadows, I mentioned Tommy Haynes, I mentioned Broncy Robertson. But out of 140 members, I mean. Tom Watley, by one vote. Tom Watley. I don't forget my buddy Tom Watley. What was interesting is in that election in 2022, I had, I had two opponents. Tom Watley had one opponent, and I had like 400, 500 more votes in Lee County than he did. Oh, and Lee County about 14 points, but, but, but he, but he was, he was, he did, he did well in the Senate. And he's missed, I'm sure. But, but yeah, you're right. There's not very much turnover. Garlin Grozier defeated Paul Bussman in the previous election. And that may have been, that may be it. It's just very few turnovers in the Senate for sure. Well, speaking of that, I, I guess the, the rumor mill has Senator Reed, Greg Reed going on to do something else. And the potential here, we, we could see a shake up in leadership in the Alabama Senate. I mean, I, you got to think these discussions, do they peak your interest at all? Oh, yes. Well, as far as myself, I mean, Henry Clay came in as a freshman house member and became Speaker of the House. But you don't go in as a, as a newly elected person, a position like that. Oh, no, no, no. I want to say, "peach your interest." I didn't mean are you going to run for protein. I'm just like, this is, this is, this is some high drumming for you. I mean, I understand that. Hey, welcome back. No, but, I think George Wallace, when he was elected to the house in his first term, he was trying to get the big speaker of the house. And back in '46, I believe. But, yeah, yeah, you know, it's, you know, that's a long step away. That's a long step away as far as leadership positions or whatnot. Just getting back up there would be the first step. Well, I guess I need to ask a question like this, though. Like, you have some, you have some changes going on. And I don't know what the governor's race is going to be. I mean, everybody thinks it's probably going to be Ainsworth, but we'll see him. Marshall runs, but like, I think when we're talking three years from now, I mean, it could be a totally different land. Right? Sure. In Montgomery. And I don't, I'm not really sure what that would mean, but right now things seem, and then this may be the impetus for Scofield's speech at BCA. Could things go in a more populous direction in the future? Yeah, it could be. It could be. It's just hard to look, you know, that far in the forward, you know, like you said before, it's just a little change. I don't know with the exception of Senator William's running statewide. I'm not sure I know of too many senators that will be changed. It'll be the same group pretty much in house. I'm not, you know, I don't know how that's going to work or how many of those members are leaving. But I don't see, you know, a lot of changes. Yeah, it's kind of a fascinating thing. I do think it's, I mean, there is some unknowns up ahead that be kind of interesting to watch. It's a lot of unknowns with what's going to happen this November because that's a major change in our lives. If we continue on the same path we've gone through in the last four years, I mean, it would be. I think I think if I think catastrophic for this country, if we were to lose this election. Well, I think this senator will wrap it up on this. If Kamala Harris pulls it off and she wins. I think 26 is just going to be a hardcore, hardcore, very Republican cycle. But barring any unforeseen circumstances, no Roe v. Wade being overturned or anything like that. I mean, you look down ballot in Alabama, though. It's going to be very Republican. I mean, if you're like one of these kind of establishment milk toast Republicans, you better be worried about a challenge in a primary. I think that's what they're kind of considering at least. Yeah, and we saw some of this in 2010, a lot of that in 2010. You know, the first midterm elections during the Obama administration. Yes, I mean, that's when the Tea Parties were starting all over the country and communities all over our state. And, and, and the candidates were very interested in what the people had to say and the wishes of the people and the uprising of discontent because of what was going on in the country. And it is reflected in the, in the new, in the new legislature. And, and, and I think of what you're alluding to. It could be more turnover than usual, say, in the Senate and Alabama House. Sarah got to leave it there. We do appreciate your time. We'll, we will do better than six months. We'll get you on sooner. Okay. Good talk to you, Jim. Thank you again. See, former state Senator Rusty Glover there, who I think announced his exploratory committee on this program. We'll be right back. This is the Jeff Porchola at the talk, 106.5. [MUSIC]