Alabama governor says he plans to ask voters to OK borrowing $2 billion for roads, bridges

BIRMINGHAM, Al.
Gov. Robert Bentley said today he intends to seek voter approval to borrow maybe $2 billion to repair roads and bridges.
Bentley also said he will pursue voter approval to change how state budgets work by seeking to move some state dollars that go to schools and instead use them to help pay the costs of prisons and some hospitals.
Bentley said this at today's meeting of the Birmingham Kiwanis Club.
Bentley said the state is facing a severe financial crisis that demands the state rethink how it uses tax dollars.
For years, Alabama has by law set aside a group of taxes that can only be spent for school needs. It's likely that any attempt to shift those dollars would face a stiff challenge in the Legislature, which would first have to approve the change before the issues went before voters.
On the proposes bond issue, the governor said too many bridges and roads are in need of repair, work the state has for too long put off.