Im thinking about writing an expose on a politician in Etowah County, the working title right now is, Phil Williams: Lying Through His Teeth. Williams recently made allegations that he fought for and repealed the 62% pay raise. Well, that just isnt true. It has a strain of truth, enough to convince a fool but it isnt even a half-truth . . . More like a 7/8ths lie. So, what are the facts? First of all, Williams, for all the credit he likes to take Williams wasnt even the sponsor of the bill in question, that credit goes to Representative Mike Ball. Williams, wasnt even the major force of the bill in his own chamber, that credit goes to former state senator Bryan Taylor. Dont believe me? Williams has one of the worst records in the state senate for successful legislation, he cant even carry local legislation (which other members vote for out of mutual respect) with any success. Secondly, lets look at the bill that did pass. There was a 62% pay raise that the legislature gave itself. Now, Williams likes to point out that Democrats gave it to themselves but it is the worse kept secret in Montgomery that Republican legislators at the time begged the Democratic majority for that very same pay raise. Legislative pay increased from $36,660 to $49,500. Williams neglects to mention that his (not really his) bill only lowered the amount to $40,474. Williams brags that he prevented the legislature from voting itself a pay raise ever again. On the surface that sounds like a good thing. What he doesnt tell you is that rather than being a public vote (subject to public outcry as the last pay raise was) legislative pay is now determined by an obscure committee that sets legislative pay arbitrarily by how they feel the states economy is doing. Due to the formula of living costs and the timing of Williams bill (not his bill) legislative pay will increase into the future without so much as a vote or knowledge of the public. Folks, Phil Williams lies about his own record, the record of his opponent, and his behavior in the legislature has gone from dishonorable to just plain obscene.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 22:44:54 +0000
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