Has gaming gone up in flames? parking woes mean big business; the remarkable Ross; and more in this week’s OTR

Off The Record: The latest rumors and rumblings in North Alabama

Gaming legislation crapping out?

“It’s not dead yet, but I might say zombie-like,” said one political reporter regarding the Alabama legislature’s efforts to pass compromise gaming legislation that includes lottery and electronic gaming. Three senators who had voted “Yes” on a gaming bill in March switched to a “No” vote this week. “Word is they have no plans to budge despite heavy pressure from both inside and outside of the chamber,” our insider reported. While the legislation can be brought back up anytime, with only three days left in the 2024 regular session, time is running out. 

I’ll drink to that

In a move that Rep. Andy Whitt calls “leveling the playing field,” the Legislature has approved raising taxes. However, this time, the tax hike is on the state ABC stores who are not required to pay local sales and liquor taxes. The increase is expected to raise some $6.7 million for local governments. Whitt (R-Madison) said the bill sets sales taxes assessed at the state ABC stores to be equal to the local counties’ and municipalities’ sales taxes. “Basically they are getting on par with whatever everyone else charges. It (levels) the playing field for our local mom and pops that have invested in our districts.”

Parking pickle

What was a parking nightmare last weekend at Toyota Field turned out to be good business all around. Last weekend Toyota Field played host to both Trash Panda baseball games and the Ol’ Ballpark Fair. Those who attended reported that cars were parked in every available location between J Alexander’s and Hexagon and along all roads including the interstate interchange. While the idyllic weather helped produce the problematic parking, attendance at the Trash Pandas games and the fair smashed all expectations. Several restaurants close to the stadium reported record sales as well.

The remarkable Ross

The newest representative in the Alabama House is wasting no time getting down to business. Jeana Ross claimed victory over Arab city councilman Alan Miller to win the District 27 seat in a special GOP special primary runoff this past Tuesday. No Democratic candidate entered the race to represent the district that covers most of Marshall County. Ross, a former Alabama Secretary of Early Childhood Education, is regarded as a polished powerhouse well-versed in Montgomery mechanics by those in the know. “Ross is well-connected, well-regarded and born determined,” according to one statewide political player.

‘SHOAL THING’

That is the opening of the headline the US Sun, the American digital edition of the more famous British tabloid daily newspaper, used to introduce a Shoals relocation program to their millions of readers. Remote Shoals, the program highlighted in the Sun’s write-up, offers up to $10,000 for remote workers who meet the requirements to relocate to the Florence-Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Area. While the phrase “Shoal Thing” is hopefully relegated to the darkest corner in the basement of woeful wording, the article did highlight many of the Shoals’ brightest draws, as well as publicizing that the next round of applications to the program is now open.