In our opinion
March 4, 2003
Here we are, coming up on what many observers believe
will be one of the most (if not the most) critical legislative session
since the Great Depression. Our state is in bad shape and our legislators
must be able to devote all the time they have to addressing and solving
our problems.
But they won't be. And why not? Because of our constitution.
That's right. Because the Constitution of 1901 took local
control away from local officials, whenever a county or other governing
entity wants to change fees, raise or lower property taxes, revise
an occupational tax, or allocate money for public transportation,
local officials have to convince their local legislative delegation
to introduce and support legislation in the House and Senate that
would give local folks the authority to call an election or issue
an ordinance to deal with the local issue.
For example, Jefferson County commissioners are asking
their legislative delegation to introduce an amendment to a criminal
littering law so that local officials can issue citations to people
who dump their trash on county roadways.
Now why does the Alabama legislature have to debate and
vote on whether or not the local authorities in Jefferson County can
arrest someone who litters one of their own roads?
Because the Constitution of 1901 says so. And as a result
the people we send to Montgomery to deal with our funding crisis will
have to spend valuable time dealing with Jefferson's trash.
A few weeks back members of our local delegation indicated
that they were going to hold back local legislation until the state's
fiscal problems were addressed. Good for them. But it would be better
if those local matters could be addressed locally and the legislature
did not have to deal with
them at all.
We sure do need a new constitution.
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