$1,200 Checks

This reminds me of the time the Alabama Agricultural Commissioner added his name in big bold letters on the gas pump inspection stickers. There was no reason for it to be there other than publicize his name for the upcoming election. And his name was about five times larger than the information people really needed to report problems, the 1-800 number. 

I'm not sure if Sparks was the first Commissioner to do so.

(Note: that practice ended in 2011, when John McMillan was elected Ag Commissioner. He replaced the name with the word "inspected")