Alabama Looks to Lottery for Budget Fix; Michigan Clears Its Rape-Kit Backlog as Minnesota’s Persists
State Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. mj007 / Shutterstock.com
Also: A raid on Palm Springs City Hall and how should Missouri fund infrastructure upgrades?
MONTGOMERY, Alabama: Leaders in the Yellowhammer State, like plenty of other states, are having budget consternation. Beyond asking legislators to raise taxes, The Birmingham News reports that Gov. Robert Bentley may support legislation that could lead to the formation of a state lottery—which would need the OK from voters to change the state constitution to authorize it. There have been previous lottery proposals that haven’t gone anywhere. But this time might be different. [The Birmingham News]
LANSING, Michigan: Back in 2009, more than 11,000 untested rape kits were discovered in a Detroit Police Department storage facility. It’s taken a lot of hard effort and funding from state, federal and private sources, but that backlog has been cleared, the Detroit Free Press reports. The next step, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says, is prosecution, but clearing the untested rape kit backlog has already yielded results, according to the Free Press:
Worthy said Detroit's kit-testing initiative has identified 2,616 suspects — including 477 serial rapists — and that 21 convictions have been secured. She said 106 cases are actively being investigated and 1,350 cases are awaiting investigation.
Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports that more than 3,400 untested rape kits sit in law enforcement storage around the state, some dating to cases from the early 1990s. [Detroit Free Press; Star Tribune]
PALM SPRINGS, California: Mayor Steve Pougnet announced Wednesday that he would not resign amid a coordinated public corruption probe and raid on Palm Springs City Hall this week, calling for the investigation to run its course before rushing to judgment. As The Desert Sun reports:
Authorities have declined to explain the target or scope of their investigation, which is a joint effort by a public corruption task force that includes the FBI, the Riverside County District Attorney’s office and the Internal Revenue Service. But the probe comes after revelations that Pougnet participated in a council vote to sell land to a developer that paid him more than $200,000 as a consultant.
The mayor says the vote was accidental. [The Desert Sun]
BOSTON, Massachusetts: While there are certainly plenty of New England Patriots fans elated with a federal judge’s decision to overturn Tom Brady’s controversial suspension by the NFL, there’s one Patriots fan who certainly just over the moon: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. According to The Boston Globe:
“I’m smiling. I’m very happy,” Baker said, adding that he learned of the ruling via Twitter, to which he took quickly, tweeting, “No suspension — Tom Brady gets to play football. I’m glad it’s over and I agree with the Judge’s decision. #PatriotsNation.”
The governor wore a “Free Brady” T-Shirt to a charity event last month on the steps of the State House. [The Boston Globe]
ST. LOUIS, Missouri: How should the Show Me State raise revenue to help pay for road and bridge repairs? Through an increase in sales tax or an increase in the gas tax? The Missouri Department of Transportation commissioned a survey to figure out where the public stood. As St. Louis Public Radio reports that 24 percent of state residents favor a gas tax hike; raising the sales tax only enjoys 17 percent support. [St. Louis Public Radio]
Michael Grass is Executive Editor of Government Executive’s Route Fifty.
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