The list of interested parties in a lawsuit over the state's Simplified Sellers Use Tax continues to grow, with the Alabama Education Association, the state teachers' union, expected to sign on soon as a co-defendant.
On Friday, the Marshall County Commission adopted a resolution to intervene in the lawsuit initiated by the City of Tuscaloosa and the Tuscaloosa City School against the Alabama Department of Revenue over the SSUT law. The City, along with other plaintiffs, seeks to increase revenue from online sales tax, while the defendants want to keep the law as is. Currently, the flat tax rate is at 8%. Of that, 50% goes to the state, 30% to municipalities, and the remaining 20% goes to county governments.
The Marshall County Commission included a conflict-of-interest waiver in its resolution, since County Attorney Clint Maze's law firm, Wilmer & Lee, employs several lawyers who may represent other parties in the suit.
"Just like the counties are all coming together to intervene, I anticipate that the state representative board of the Boards of Education are going to do that. AEA is going to be — I mean, this thing is going to take on a very big life of its own," he said. "And one of the entities that has already reached out and has indicated that they are going to be participating is the Alabama Education Association. AEA."
Maze said his law partner, Fred Fohrell, currently represents the AEA, which could create a conflict of interest if the AEA joins the suit alongside the County Commission, which Maze represents. However, the waiver removes potential liability.
The AEA's legal team confirmed to 1819 News that the organization intends to join the suit.
"AEA will be involved in the lawsuit to secure tax revenue for the ETF [Education Trust Fund]," the team said.
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