Budget Signed by Governor Riley Increases State Trooper Force, Funding for Senior Prescription Drug Program

Budget Signed by Governor Riley Increases State Trooper Force, Funding for Senior Prescription Drug Program

Governor Bob Riley today signed into law the state's $1.5 billion General Fund budget that passed during the recently concluded special session.

Governor Riley said the budget fulfills a commitment he made to increase the number of state troopers patrolling Alabama's highways, and that it does not raise taxes or fees.

As Governor Riley signed the budget, a major credit rating agency was reporting that the state's credit rating may soon get an upgrade. Moody's Investor Service cited health insurance reforms passed in a special session last November as a plus for the state's fiscal outlook.

"No single budget can address all the challenges we face, and this one doesn't either. But this is the best budget that could pass this year. I'm very pleased it is essentially unchanged from the budget I proposed at the beginning of the special session. It is a bipartisan budget. It is balanced without raising taxes or fees," said Governor Riley. "I'm also pleased it fulfills our commitment to help more low-income senior citizens and our commitment to improve safety on our roads."

The budget signed by Governor Riley includes an increase of $650,000 for the Senior Rx program, which helps provide low-income senior citizens in Alabama with free or low-cost medicine.

The budget also increases funding for the Department of Public Safety so the state can add 100 more state troopers to the force. In his State of the State Address back in February, Governor Riley proposed increasing the state trooper force by 100 in the Fiscal Year 2006 budget and another 100 in Fiscal Year 2007 budget.

It was an earlier special session that has reportedly put Alabama in a position to improve its credit rating. According to the Moody's report, the reforms passed during last November's five-day special session demonstrate that the state is leading a national trend in addressing retiree health care liabilities. The report says Alabama's credit rating is Aa3 and "on watch for an upgrade" due to the reforms proposed by Governor Riley and approved by the Legislature during that special session.

Those reforms, which go into effect on October 1, are expected to save at least $300 million over the next five years.

http://www.governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2005-08-04-03-trooperincrease.asp