Hall covered several topics in front of the Legislature during her opening remarks. She said a bill to allow charter schools in the state never got out of committee, but similar bills have been introduced again.

She said her constituents have sent the message that they don't want charter schools but do want excellence in public schools.

Huntsville Councilman Richard Showers, a retired city school teacher, said during the question and answer period that he supports public schools. He said charter schools take precious education tax dollars from public schools and create segregated schools.

"We don't need any schools just for black children and we don't need any schools just for white children," Showers said.

Other residents recalled attending segregated schools and how much different those schools were than the ones they attended after desegregation.

But, Gene Perry, a former city school board candidate, urged residents to do as he did and investigate what he said was misinformation spread by charter school opponents.

Residents need to have options available to provide their children with the best education possible, Perry said.

"Charter schools are not going to take over our country," he said.

One woman said she helped establish a charter school in Houston that became one of the top schools in the nation. Another woman said her son did well at a charter school in Minneapolis but is struggling at Lee High School.

Laurie McCaulley, a city school board member, said the school board is OK with charter schools if they are under the local school board's control and if public schools had the same "wide parameters" as charter schools in establishing rules and standards.

On another issue, Hall said she supports a bill to take as much as $1 billion from a state investment account over the next 10 years to use on roads, bridges and railroads.

Hall, who is a member of the House General Fund Budget Committee, said forming a budget in a recession is difficult. Even a proposed cut of 12 percent in spending from last year would leave next year's budget $100 million short, she said.

badar