Editorial: The golden goose

Alabama lawmakers can’t seem to get enough of the greed and power available to those with the ambition to play the game. Perhaps that’s why many continue to use a mechanism called “pass-through pork” to sneak large sums of money past fiscal watchdogs, political opponents and taxpayers.

While it’s not usually criminal, it’s certainly unsavory. Otherwise, why would anyone go to the trouble to shield the transaction?

What happens is that lawmakers will “park” a large sum of money in an appropriation for another agency, telling those in charge of the agency that they’ll be around for the money later. When they come for it, it’s usually to fund a pet project in their district that may well be a prudent use of public funds, but suffers from the lawmaker’s subterfuge.

Then there are the crooks. Former state Sen. E.B. McClain of Midfield was sentenced to more than five years after being convicted in a scheme to funnel public funds through state agencies to a nonprofit outfit operated by a friend, who then passed more than $300,000 back to the lawmaker.

This is the sort of dirty dealing that should be shut down with strict operational rules and governmental ethics law. However, creation of the necessary reform is a function of the legislature itself, and it’s unlikely the body will raise a hatchet to the golden goose.

Meanwhile, we have this: Gov. Bob Riley has told the heads of state colleges and universities to let him know if any lawmaker tries to load up their appropriation with pass-through pork.

It’s a poor substitute for ethical stewardship of public funds, but it’s better than nothing.