STATE OF ALABAMA

Office of the Governor


BOB RILEY
Governor
 

Press Office
 

November 14, 2008

Governor’s Office Statement on Ruling in Double Dipping Case

MONTGOMERY - Jeff Emerson, Communications Director for Governor Bob Riley, released the following statement on Friday in response to the ruling by Montgomery County Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick. Judge Hardwick ruled on a lawsuit brought by some legislators against the State Board of Education and Postsecondary Chancellor Bradley Byrne regarding policies adopted by the Board that prohibit double dipping in Alabama’s two-year college system. Governor Riley serves as President of the State Board of Education:

“Obviously, the Governor strongly disagrees with this ruling. The State Board of Education acted in a bipartisan fashion to halt the scandal that was enveloping the state’s two-year system. In no way are these personnel, hiring and leave policies subject to or in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act, and that will be proven on appeal to the Supreme Court. But let’s be clear on what this misguided ruling really means. It means a judge has imposed on the two-year system and the taxpayers a return to the corrupt, scandal-riddled ways of the past that have led to guilty pleas, prison sentences and a stain on the reputation of our community colleges. No judge has the right or authority to unilaterally give public employees total control over their own work schedules, especially when it results in harm to schools and their students.”