3/2: New opinion poll highlights AL voters' top concerns

ALABAMA: New opinion poll lists voters' top concerns in state: education, health, highways

The Public Research Council of Alabama has conducted an opinion poll to state voters' top concerns for 2010. They are: education, health care, public safety and highways.

A majority said they were willing to pay higher taxes to avoid substantial cuts in education and health-care services, generally understood to be Medicaid.

The poll, conducted in January by Samford University political science professor Randolph Horn, asked about gambling, a major issue facing the legislators this year. The poll asked if gambling should be taxed and regulated. In response, 72 percent said yes and 26 percent said it should be outlawed.

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: U of A enters racial controversy over national stepping competition win

FLORIDA: Report says FL is deadliest state for pedestrians and bicyclists

GEORGIA: President Obama to bring "Cash for Caulkers" program to Savannah

KENTUCKY: State House approves pilot project to open some family courts to public

LOUISIANA: State prison officials look for ways to cut recidivism, escapes

MISSISSIPPI: Lawmakers propose soft drink tax to offset high obesity rate

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue wants to know value of privatizing state liquor stores

SOUTH CAROLINA: Budget proposal cuts 1,000 state employees

TENNESSEE: Three TN road projects blocked by KY Sen. Bunning

VIRGINIA: Strategy by state Democrats aimed at blocking gun bills

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11/18: Analysis of tax systems in U.S. released

ITEP: Distributional analysis of tax systems in the 50 states

A state-by-state look at how fair each state's tax systems are, considering both state and local taxes paid by different income groups in 2007. The study shows which states have done the best and worst job of providing fairness in their tax systems overall.

One overall conclusion: Nearly every state and local tax system takes more proportionally from middle and low income families than from the wealthy -- "most tax systems are regressive."

Of the eleven Southern states we cover, Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama are among the ten most regressive tax states among the 50.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Black Belt's future projected to be in biofuels, some say

ARKANSAS: 2010 governor's race to be impacted by economy

FLORIDA: Top senators say state should drop out of federal Medicaid system

GEORGIA: On population count, South Georgia could lose legislative seats

KENTUCKY: State considers how to repay federal jobless funds loans

LOUISIANA: Poll finds race relations mostly unchanged in last year

MISSISSIPPI: 79 of state's 82 counties declared a disaster by heavy rain, drought

NORTH CAROLINA: Human trafficking seen as a problem in NC due to highways, agriculture

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's onshore winds may not be enough for power generation

TENNESSEE: State parks may cut jobs, close amenities to save money

VIRGINIA: New economic engine for N. VA could come from Ignite Institute

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to info@bettersouth.org