Governor Robert Bentley says he will veto any state budget that includes the "draconian" cuts that would be required without tax increases. Bentley in a Friday speech continues to press for public support for his $541 million dollar tax proposal for lawmakers. The $1.8 billion general fund is expected to have roughly $290 million dollars shortfall next year. A draft budget outlines deep cuts of between 11 and 16 percent for most state agencies. Bentley also says he won't fight a new bill to create an Alabama lottery but says it's not a solution for the state.
ASU Honors
More than 1,300 students at Alabama State University were recognized for their academic success. Friday ASU celebrated its annual Honors Day Convocation. The guest speaker was ASU alumna Dr. Alma Freeman. The event was held at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
Life Sentences
A Birmingham man has been sentenced to serve life in prison after he was convicted in the 2012 killings of five men found dead in a home in the Ensley neighborhood. 20-year-old Rashad Stoves was sentenced on Thursday to serve six life sentences. The sentences are to run concurrently, and Stoves could eventually be eligible for parole. Two other men pleaded guilty in the case and are serving sentences ranging from life in prison to 25 years.
Executive Loan
Gov. Robert Bentley's interim chief of staff for the last year has remained on the payroll of an energy company under an "executive loan" arrangement that is supposed to end in the coming months. Interim Chief of Staff Seth Hammett doesn't receive a salary from the state but has continued to work for PowerSouth Energy Cooperative in Andalusia since joining the governor's staff in 2014.