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By David Atchison
October 8, 2002

PELL CITY — Hugh Morrow of Birmingham encourages Pell City Kiwanis members to promote constitutional reform.

   Morrow, a volunteer for the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform, spoke to the Kiwanians during a luncheon Monday.

   "Just volunteer 15 minutes a week," he said. "Just take the time to talk to neighbors, friends and co-workers about it.

   "You can really make a difference. I think there are a lot of people sitting on the fence wondering how this is going to affect me. The question should be, how are you going to solve the problem," Morrow said.

   Supporters of constitutional reform in Alabama see a lot of problems with the current constitution, passed in 1901.

   Kathryn Bowden, executive director for the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform, said the group seeks to inform citizens of Alabama about the weaknesses of the state constitution, while advocating the adoption of a modern document.

   Alabama's constitution has 713 amendments, and Bowden said she hopes one new amendment will be added after the ballots are counted on Nov. 5 — one that will allow for constitutional reform.

   She said the constitutional reform group worked to get the amendment added to the ballot.

   "It's a real simple amendment," she said.

   Basically it will allow the people of Alabama to decide the final product if there is constitutional reform.

   "It's a very important amendment," Bowden said.

   She said there are two ways the constitution can be changed — by the Legislature or through a citizens’ convention. Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform believe it should be changed through a convention.

   "We think that's the best way to do it," she said.

   Bowden said she believes the constitution will eventually be changed for the better.

   "It's going to take a strong leader to get constitutional reform in the state," she said, adding that her group will work with that leader or leaders for change.

   Bowden said the Alabama Constitution contains 315,000 words, while the length of the average state constitution is 26,000. The national average number of amendments for state constitutions is 116.

   "There's nothing else like it," she said.

   Morrow said he believes the 1901 constitution was passed only through voting fraud.

   He said the main objective of the 1901 constitution was to remove voting rights of African-Americans and poor whites in Alabama, while centralizing power in the hands of a few special interests in Montgomery.

   Morrow said even though that was common knowledge, 32,000 black voters allegedly voted for it "although it was going to take their voting right away."

   He said voting fraud was common back then, and he believes the current state constitution was passed fraudulently.

   "This document has created a lot of problems in our state, starting in 1901," he said.

   Morrow said the constitution "denied local control" and instead of state legislatures dealing with state problems, they are having to deal with local problems, which should be dealt with by local officials.

   According to the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform officials, Alabama is the only state in the Southeast that denies counties local planning and taxation authority.

   Bowden said the state Legislature spends nearly 50 percent of its time debating local issues. Seventy percent of current amendments apply to a single city or county.

   The group thinks local governments should deal with local problems and state lawmakers should deal with state issues.

   Members of the group also say the constitution places an unfair burden on the poor. The current constitution allows the wealthiest 1 percent of Alabamians to pay 3 percent of their income in state taxes, while the poorest fifth pay nearly 12 percent.

   Bowden said in addition, Alabama families begin paying income taxes after just $4,600 in earnings, the lowest threshold in the nation.

   She said by contrast, Mississippi does not begin collecting income tax until a family makes more than $19,000 in a year.

   Bowden said there is excessive earmarking of Alabama revenues because of the 1901 constitution, giving the governor and the Legislature little flexibility, especially when revenues fall short.

   This has brought proration to the state's education budget at an alarmingly frequent rate, she said.

About David Atchison:
David Atchison is a staff writer for The Daily Home. Contact David Atchison by phone: 205-884-3400 or email:pcnews@dailyhome.com

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