From the July 20, 2011, AP by Jay Reeves.
I originally wrote about this back on July 21st, but will rewrite.
The last Confederate veteran of the some 60,000 who served from Alabama died generations ago, yet state citizens are still paying a tax to support the neediest of them. This is despite the state being Republican and they are against taxes.
The tax once funded the Alabama Confederate Soldier Home...which closed 72 years ago. It operated from 1902 to 1939 and at its height had 91 veterans and 19 widows.
The tax now goes to pay for Confederate Memorial Park where the home used to be. This park is located in Mountain Creek, Alabama, and consists of 102 acres. There is also a museum and a research facility.
The tax also brought in millions for the veterans pensions. Now, lawmakers slice this money up and send it to other projects. This has been done ever since the men in gray began dying off.
No one has ever challenged the tax. One reason is that very few know anything about it.
Today, the old tax brings in about $400,000 a year, used for the park where the Confederate flag still flies. The tax isn't all that much when compared to the state's $1.8 billion budget.
For the Cause? --Old Secesh
No comments:
Post a Comment