Constitutional Amendments November 2012

Amendment 1: VOTE NO

“Extend payments to the Forever Wild Land Trust for the next 20 years, ending with fiscal year 2031-2032.”If you vote NO on this amendment, the money that would have been used to fund this project will stay in the Alabama Trust Fund. That alone merits a NO vote. In addition I’m tired of hearing ads say mistruths with the statement like “using no taxes”.

Amendment 2 Vote NO

“Allow the State to refund and repurchase general obligation bonds at a lower interest rate, which could result in savings for the State”.If you want to give elected officials a revolving loan for economic development then vote yes. If you think that a group of people who say in the bill that they are lowering the interest rate without clearly telling you that they are creating a revolving loan until the year 2032 then you need to Vote NO.

Administration of Government Amendment 3 Vote YES

“Define the Stockton Landmark District within Baldwin County and also prohibit local lawmakers from agreeing to any annexation of the property”….I’m only suggesting that you vote YES on this because my good friend Agriculture Commissioner John McMillian says that he supports this bill. I normally stay away from this type of amendment but I trust John and if he says that the people of Stockton need this then I believe him.

Civil Rights Amendment 4Vote YES

“Remove language in the Alabama State Constitution relating to racial segregation in schools and the imposition of poll taxes”.The top reason I say Vote YES is because the AEA is against this amendment, but set apart from that within the bill is a clear declaration that Education is not a Constitutional Right of every Alabamian. It’s not that I’m opposed to education. I’m really opposed to the judicial system telling us that we aren’t funding education properly.

Natural Resources Amendment 5Vote YES or NO

“Provide the transfer of assets and liabilities of the Water Works and Sewer Board of the City ofPrichard to the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners of the City of Mobile”. This basically is a local amendment that doesn’t have an impact on us. I leave this to the locals.

Health Care Amendment 6Vote YES or NO

“Prohibit mandatory participation in any health care system”. This is a reaction to the Affordable Healthcare Act. I think you should vote YES if you want to make a statement about “Obama Care”. If you want to leave a door open for the state of Alabama to solve Alabama’s healthcare issue through state mandates then I suggest you vote NO.

Labor Amendment 7Vote YES

“Guarantee the right of individuals to vote for public office, public votes on referenda, or votes of employee representation by secret ballot”.A secret ballot is the law and the tradition in Alabama. This amendment would stop any union leader from knowing how a member voted. We are a “right to work” state and this just helps to keep some potentially bad union players from working in the state.

Legislative Pay Amendment 8Vote NO

“Repeal existing laws regarding the compensation and expense reimbursement of the members”.On the surface this amendment seems to solve a problem that many of us have had with the legislative “Pay Raise”. I think we need to keep the legislators on the hook on this issue by voting NO and letting this be an issue in the 2014 election. If you vote YES you legitimize their compensation. If you vote NO you make them address this issue in the 2014 election. Either way they are basically paid the same amount.

Taxes Amendment 9Vote YES

“Replaces outdated language concerning the categorization of certain corporations”.I have looked at this bill and I don’t see a problem but let me add this caveat. A committee has been formed to make recommendations on portions of the state’s constitution that need to be updated, amended or completely removed. This is to avoid a constitutional convention. I’ll have to trust that this group is presenting amendments that are sound. If they don’t then the only course will be a Constitution Convention. Bad for the elected officials and bad for us.

Administration of Government Amendment 10 Vote YES

“Revise and recompile the sections of the Constitution concerning banks and banking”.Again, I have looked at this bill and I don’t see a problem but let me say again, I’ll have to trust that the constitution review committee is making sound judgments. If not a price will be paid by the elected officials that created the committee.

Recommendations on Amendments

1Extend payments to the Forever Wild Land Trust

Vote NO

2Allow the State to refund and repurchase general obligation bonds

Vote NO

3Define the Stockton Landmark District within Baldwin County

Vote YES

4Remove racial language in the Alabama State Constitution

Vote YES

5Transfer of assets and liabilities of the Water Works and Sewer Board of the City of Prichard

Vote YES

Recommendations on Amendments

6 Prohibit mandatory participation in any health care system.

Vote YES/NO

7 Guarantee the right of individuals to vote for public office, public votes on referenda, or votes ofemployee representation by secret ballot.

Vote YES

8 Repeal existing laws regarding the compensation and expense reimbursement of the membersof the Alabama State Legislature.

Vote NO

9 Replaces outdated language concerning the categorization of certain corporations.

Vote YES

10

This amendment will prohibit the state from becoming a stockholder in any bank orbanking corporation.

Vote YES