We are going in a special session of the Alabama Legislature. This is a special session that really makes me wonder. But I am going anyway.

The special session will cost the Alabama taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. The general fund, which provides the revenue for most state government except education, is already in terrible shape.

The education fund is down $1.5 billion from the 2008 fiscal year. We have used up our $437 million savings account known as the proration prevention account. We have exhausted our $436 million credit line known as the Rainy Day Fund. We have expended more than $1 billion in stimulus monies provided by the federal government with no more in sight.

The press release for the special session says it’s about “anti corruption reform” (ethics). I pray that this is what it is about, but I wonder.

One of the bills seeks to stop the deduction of organizational dues by Alabama Education Association, which represents education employees and Alabama State Employees Association, which represents state employees. This provision is designed to weaken those organizations and its members.

We are going into special session in December, just three weeks before Christmas. The Governor’s press release says we are going to handle ethics legislation. However, one of the proposed bills will prevent persons employed in public education and state and local government from serving in the Alabama Legislature. It does not matter if that’s who the people want and need. This is aimed dead at AEA. But it also has a broader aim, for it’s a shotgun blast. Let me explain.

The rouse for stopping education and state employees from serving as legislators is so called “double dipping” dip one time into state coffers as an employee and dip again as a state legislator.

Of course, the Constitution limits legislative salaries to about $300 per year and state employees cannot receive pay for the days served in the legislature.

They say the session is about ethics, but it is really about power: more power for the powerful and less power for everyday citizens. But few see what’s really happening.