Another Alabama swindle

clipped from www.al.com Breland: Not enough Madison cash MADISON - Local developer Louis Breland said Wednesday his attempt to deannex 263 acres of his property from Madison is not an attack on the city but an attempt to find the best opportunity for a new retail development. Breland asked state Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, to draft and advertise legislation to deannex his property on Zierdt Road, just south of Interstate 565 from the Madison city limits. Madison city leaders have been upset about the move because of a proposed retail development on the site that will generate millions in sales tax revenue. Madison Mayor Sandy Kirkindall said Wednesday when Breland lets the city know what incentives he wants, officials can look at funding options. One of the options includes implementing a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district - a method used several times in Huntsville to help pay for improvements for big retail projects - to help foot the bill. It does not count against the city's debt limit of $32 million.

Why are we paying Breland to build here? If he wants to build the retail development on land he owns, he should do it. And if he doesn't like the fact that the city won't fork over incentives for him to do something that he already wants to do, then he can leave the land empty or sell it to someone else.

It is pretty shifty business to seek an end-around in the state legislature when the city involved and the surrounding areas tell you to back off. I only wish Alabama had more transparent campaign finance regulations and reporting. You know Breland didn't just ask Lowell Barron to carry this legislation without greasing the wheels a little.

Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer should publicly state that the city of Huntsville will not annex this property if it is deannexed from Madison. If Breland gets freed from Madison, but becomes so toxic in the process that no one else will "incentive" his project, then maybe he will get the message.

UPDATE: Alabama's campaign finance rules are spectacularly byzantine. PACs and campaigns can transfer money freely amongst themselves. The transfers are large, multiple, and overlapping, successfully hiding the sources of funds. It's political money laundering at its finest.

However, it is true that Louis Breland donated $5,000 to Tennessee Valley Citizens for Economic Development PAC on February 8, 2007, around the time that the issue was exploding before the Madison City Council. For the uninitiated, The Tennessee Valley PAC is controlled by Steven Raby, head of Direct Communications and right-hand man to Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, the man carrying Breland's legislation in the state Senate.

Tennessee Valley PAC has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Sen. Barron since the last election cycle. Some of that money directly benefits Barron and his campaign. A lot of the money, however, helps cement his place as a power broker. Barron has turned around and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to favored candidates in the House and Senate over the last few elections. Winning candidates then join the money laundering train, and are beholden to Barron in the Senate.

Now, if I can just get a printer and an assistant, maybe I can unravel all the PAC ties...

UPDATE 2: Madison Senator Parker Griffith took $1,000 each from Tennessee Valley PAC and Louis Breland in 2006.