Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Four state amendments that will give control of local government to the communities involved will be on ballots in November.

State amendments 3, 4, 5 and 6 resulted from a state-wide nonpartisan commission chaired by former Governor Albert Brewer.

Amendment 3 restricts legislators from forcing all voters in the state to vote on an amendment that affects only one county. In the first vote on a local amendment, legislators will decide if the amendment has merit.

If they approve the amendment, then they will vote on whether it will be on the ballot of only the county affected. This is a change from current practice in which a single legislator voting against the merits of a local amendment forces it to a statewide vote.

Amendment 4 gives components of local government to the communities by allowing counties to establish programs, policies and procedures related to county government.

The amendment will not allow counties to increase or levy new taxes, nor will it allow counties to amend or repeal an existing local law. And it will not allow county commissions to create restrictions on personal or business property.

Amendment 5 will simply modernize the language in the Constitution by renaming the “departments” of governments into “branches.”

Amendment 6 provides that two-thirds of the Senate must vote to approve an impeachment, a change from the current constitutional language which does not specify the percentage required for impeachment.

Amendment 6 also will bring the Constitution in line with current practices by limiting the list of those who may be impeached to elected officials, removing an appointed position from the list.

We hope your readers will vote “Yes” in favor of these four amendments.

Douglas Curtis Seay
3051 Flint Mill Run SE
Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763