Current and Upcoming Legislative Issues

Alabama Policy Institute

 

(This article was published in The Birmingham News, The Mobile Register, The Montgomery Advertiser and The Selma-Times Journal)

Recently, the little known governor's contingency fund found itself in a media crossfire. Various reporters had asked to examine documents of some expenses Gov. Siegelman made from the contingency fund, but he refused. Alabama law holds that "every citizen has a right to inspect and take a copy of any public writing of this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by statute." Without exception, the public and the press should always have full access to all public expenditures.

Some expenditures from the contingency fund included $38,475 for catering five Christmas parties the governor hosted. Others included 71 American Express card bills paid from the fund in 2001 amounting to $69,467. Overall, the governor has spent about $2 million from the contingency fund since he took office in 1999.

Legislators, who are allies with the governor, also avail themselves of this fund. In other words, a governor rewards loyalty. It was no different during my time serving in the previous administration. Money spent from the governor's contingency fund during the James' Administration totaled $3.2 million.

Reasonable solutions have been offered to bring accountability to this pot of taxpayer money - such as posting all contingency fund expenditures on the state's web site.

Regrettably, the stigma of politics - rewarding political allies and questions about why some "sensitive" expenditures can not be revealed - will always lurk over this particular fund. But, a smart solution suggests itself - one away from the stormy vicissitudes of Alabama politics (if such a thing is possible).

Why not use the governor's contingency fund to reward Alabama's professional or amateur inventors, scientists, or entrepreneurs. Dedicate 75 percent of the contingency fund money to an annual, or bi-annual, Alabama Innovator Award.

Rewarding Innovation Works

Americans have always relished discovery and adventure. Simultaneously, we have sought to invent practical solutions to everyday life. Many know that Charles Lindbergh was the first aviator to fly the Atlantic alone. Very few know that his 1927 flight was prompted by a $25,000 cash prize offered by a wealthy New York businessman as a way to advance aviation.

Throughout the course of our nation's history, cash rewards and prizes motivated sharp minds to innovate quickly. Today, when Alabama and the nation, need breakthrough solutions in a wide range of pressing challenges - among them health care, the environment, education and science - rewards could serve our state very well.

Offering cash awards expands the number of minds that will be working on a specific problem at the same time, thereby likely shortening the time before breakthroughs occur.

Ironically, the governor offers reward money for information leading to the apprehension of criminals or fugitives. Why couldn't the governor acknowledge and reward Alabamians for technological solutions to practical everyday problems? State law allows for the governor's contingency fund to be spent "...for the betterment of public welfare, health, education, peace and morals of the people of this state..."

If Gov. Siegelman, and future governors, were to offer financial awards for important contributions to the public good, the first beneficiaries would be the successful innovators. In the long term, the public would be the ultimate winners.

Innovative ideas and solutions occur daily in Alabama. For example, Alabama researchers are developing personal digital handheld computers for people suffering with multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease. This device will allow them to communicate with others. Breakthroughs like this could be candidates for the Innovator Award.

Prizes reward those who give their own time and resources to meet the challenge of a scientific or technological need. We need to bring back to the center of the popular culture an intense awareness that the future is going to be very exciting and has the dramatic potential to improve everyone's life. That should be a point of pride for all. People could stop cheering for television contestants on "reality" shows and start rooting for amateur and professional scientists and researchers as they race toward a cure for AIDS or Alzheimer's or some other field of innovation.

Surely it is worth this bold approach! After all, if no one produces the breakthrough; no one gets the money. With cash incentives, and the bully pulpit of the governor, the spirit of democratic entrepreneurialism and invention supercedes politics as usual in Montgomery.

April 9, 2002

Michael Ciamarra is vice president of the Alabama Policy Institute.