November 2nd Vote on Constitutional Amendments
Amendment 1-Economic Development- SB321
This is a totally misleading proposal. Amendment 1 actually affects not only Baldwin Co. but 17 other Alabama counties and the municipalities therein-approximately one third of the state. A “sister bill,” Amendment 3, further expands this proposal to include every county in the State. Both amendments provide for a massive expansion of eminent domain powers. Each allows local government to use public money to take property from one citizen and give it to “any such project” or “any such person, firm or corporation, public or private…” “on terms approved by the governing body.” The potential for graft, kickbacks and political favoritism is immense. Both Amendments 1 and 3 centralize government control of land usage and reduce individual property rights.
Amendment 2 -Education- HB587
In its original form this was a good bill, which simply removed already stricken racist language from the Constitution. However, before the amendment was passed out of the Legislature, the entire focus of the bill was changed by the removal of some wording in Amendment 111’s section 256 from the Alabama Constitution regarding guarantees of an education for every Alabama citizen. Were it not for Section 256’s presence in the Alabama Constitution all of our education system and the money (taxes) required to fund it would be under the direct control of a judge and not the citizen’s of Alabama. Without this wording, lawsuits by AEA and Federal judges could force the passage of draconian tax bills just like the 1.6 billion dollar tax increase, which the citizens of Alabama so overwhelming voted to defeat in 2003. The real purpose of this bill is Federal control of Alabama education and increased taxation. Even The Alabama Policy Institute, the people who wrote the original bill are now
calling for its defeat.
Amendment 3 -Local Legislation- HB319 Sister bill to Amendment 1 -see explanation on Amendment 1 above
Amendment 4 -Shrimp and Seafood Industry- HB268
"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to authorize Baldwin County and certain governmental entities within the county to have certain powers for the promotion of economic and industrial development in Baldwin County and the municipalities therein."
VOTE NO
"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to repeal portions of Section 256 of schools by race and repeal portions of Amendment 111 concerning constitutional construction against the right to education, and to repeal Section 259, Amendment 90, and Amendment 109 relating to poll tax."
VOTE NO
"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to authorize a county commission of any county or any municipality therein to perform certain actions for the purpose of economic and industrial development in the county."
VOTE NO
"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide for the promotion of shrimp and seafood."
NO RECOMMENDATION
Amendment 5-County and Municipal Government- HB591
"Relating to the City of Trussville in Jefferson and St Clair, Counties, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to authorize the City of Trussville to annex certain property; to provide for public school purposes in the City of Trussville; and to provide for the rate of levy of the tax and the manner of conducting elections with respect to the tax."
The amendment authorizes the city of Trussville the power to annex areas in St. Clair County without a vote of the people. This will also increase taxes on these residents.
Amendment 6-Crenshaw County Local Legislation- HB705
The amendment removes the pay cap for the probate judge in Crenshaw County and therefore removes limits on the salary of the probate judge.
Amendment 7-Macon County Local Legislation- HB526
Expands the state legislature’s authority over “all tobacco products and liquor” in Macon County. This violates the 1901 Constitution, which states that all counties should be treated alike and destroys local government’s ability to control taxation of tobacco and liquor placing it in the hands of the Legislature.
Amendment 8-Distribution of Taxes- HB657
This amendment would offer some badly needed tax relief to Alabama “truckers” initially, but assessment amounts are left open ended and could lead to tax increases statewide. The bill refers to “motor vehicles” not just to “trucks” and allows the Legislature to change excise tax rates and weight ranges at will. Future changes in these parameters could easily be changed to include excise taxes on ALL automobiles. Future revenue “increases” would be distributed at the discretion of the Legislature. This creates a potential slush fund without voter oversight. Alabama truckers need a more focused, better written bill.
For further details on all eight amendments go to: www.keepourrights.org
VOTE NO
"Relating to Crenshaw County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to repeal, effective beginning the next term of office of the Judge of Probate of Crenshaw County, Constitutional Amendment No. 496, which provides for the judge of probate to receive the same salary as the district judge in the county."
VOTE NO
"Relating to Macon County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to allow the Legislature, by local law, to authorize the Macon county Commission to levy a tax on the sale of beer and all tobacco products and liquor or wine and to provide for the collection and distribution of the proceeds of any tax levied by such local act."
VOTE NO
"Proposing an amendment to Amendment 93, as amended by Amendment 354 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide for an excise tax to be levied by the Legislature in lieu of an ad valorem tax on certain motor vehicles and to provide for the distribution."
VOTE NO