Alabama General Fund faces a deficit of around $250 million. On Wednesday, the legislative General Fund committee circulated a draft of what Alabama’s budget would look like without adding any new revenue. State agencies could see cuts of 11.5 percent or higher next fiscal year. Even facing those numbers, many Republican Alabama lawmakers are balking at Governor Robert Bentley’s plans to raise some taxes.
While that fight plays out in the statehouse, it’s probably surprising to hear that many Alabamians actually aren’t opposed more taxes. That’s according to a recent study by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama or PARCA.
For more on this, WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley spoke to Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. Patterson wrote about the study this week and he joins us most Thursdays.