Ala. state workers get political donations curbed

By PHILLIP RAWLS

MONTGOMERY, Ala.

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley's administration is ending the payroll deductions that have allowed organizations representing state employees to pump millions of dollars into political campaigns.

The move comes as groups that represent state workers are trying to fatten their political action committees to make donations for the election Nov. 2, when the governor's office and Legislature will be up for grabs.

Riley's state finance director, Bill Newton, said Friday state law prohibits the use of state equipment or time for political activities, and that's why the state government will no longer make payroll deductions for state workers who want to contribute to political action committees of the Alabama State Employees Association, the Alabama Education Association and the Alabama State Troopers Association.

The decision affects about 15,000 state workers, most of them members of the Alabama State Employees Association.

Association Executive Director Mac McArthur said the Legislature passed a law in 1988 to allow state workers to have voluntary contributions deducted from their paychecks, and the deductions for his organization's PAC had been allowed by Democratic and Republican governors until Riley's lame-duck administration cut them off in the middle of the campaign season.

"This is an effort to silence the voice of state employees in the November election," he said Friday.

Newton said the issue came up because another organization representing state correctional officers asked to begin payroll deductions for its PAC. That prompted the state's new comptroller, Tom White, and the Finance Department's attorneys to review state law.

Finance Department lawyer Mose Stuart concluded, "Public employees at the state, county or city level cannot make contributions intended to be used for political activities by a deduction from their compensation for services as a public employee because the processing of that deduction entails the use of state, county or city funds, property or time in the aid of political activity."

Newton said payroll deductions for membership dues at state employees' organizations are fine, but not PAC contributions.

The Alabama State Employees Association raises about $400,000 annually for its PAC through payroll deductions. Most members have $2 per month deducted, McArthur said. The group's endorsements and contributions go to both Democrats and Republicans, but the endorsements usually go Democratic in the governor's race. ASEA backed Riley's Democratic opponents in 2002 and 2006. State law prohibits Riley from seeking re-election this year.

McArthur said he wouldn't be surprised if his organization ended up suing over the decision, but in the meantime it will ask members to write checks. McArthur doesn't expect that to generate much money because he said few people will spend 44 cents on a stamp to send a $2 check each month.

The troopers' PAC is small, raising about $40,000 annually.

The decision by the Riley administration affects an estimated 100 AEA members who work for the state Department of Education, state Department of Postsecondary Education and state Department of Youth Services.

Most of AEA's 80,000 active education employees get their paychecks from city and county school systems and two-year colleges. The Riley administration has not told them what to do about payroll deductions.

For now, the state's new policy on payroll deductions won't have a significant impact on the $3 million AEA raises annually through payroll deductions. Hubbert said he doesn't expect that to change because a separate state law allows city and county school systems and two-year colleges to make the payroll deductions.