Posted: 10/22/2008 10:46:05 AM EDT
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Come this Nov 4th, if you vote for the candidates but leave the amendments blank, that won't like, exempt your vote or anything will it? |
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The Alabama state constitution has 200+ amendments in it. Makes it a nightmare to interpret legally, but whatever. Proposed amendment #3 is an ad valorem property tax on the parts of Madison town that are in Limestone County. Madison (the town) straddles the line between Madison (the county) and Limestone county. Kids on both sides go to Madison (town) public schools, but the property taxes (which support the schools) are different on each side of the county line. Madison town wants to tax properties on the Limestone side the same as on the Madison (county) side. Basically, Limestone county is a very nice, rural place which has few services and as a result, low taxes. No fancy city water or local salaried fire department. Limestone county is also a very short commute to the jobs in Huntsville and Decatur. Madison (the town) is an affluent 'burb of Huntsville known for high quality public schools. Madison's growth spurt started 10-15 years ago as an alternative to living "in town" (that is, Huntsville) and having to deal with that city's not-so-nice public schools. Well, times have changed and Huntsville city schools are pretty good. Madison is being overrun on 3 sides by Huntsville City, and has nowhere else to go but west into Limestone county. Understandably, Madison does not want to be annexed into Huntsvegas, but neither do they want to become a ghetto of nouveau pauvre living in foreclosed McMansions. Not much they can do about the housing bubble, but Madison wants a shot at those "cheaters" living on the Limestone county side, enjoying Madison public schools (and fire and PD and water, etc). |
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The Alabama Constitution keeps control at the State level. The basic rule for local issues like that is for everybody State wide to vote for it or not vote on it. This allows the people that are actually affected by the Amendment to decide on it. If it fails State wide, then it does not matter what the locals want. And it would not be on the ballot if the locals did not want it. P.S. That is 799 Amendments. Mostly for the reasons I just stated. 
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Thanks for taking the time to type all that out but I live on the east side of Huntsville so I kinda already knew all that. I was just curious why it was on a statewide ballot and not just a local thing. 
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