GUEST EDITORIAL - By
Rep. Craid Ford Don't forget amendments on statewide ballot on Nov. 6 Next week, we will
cast our votes in several crucial elections. But there will be more than
just political offices on our ballots. This year’s ballot also includes
eleven statewide amendments, some of which will have significant impacts on
our state. To help voters have
a better understanding of what these amendments will do, I have written a
summary of each one and provided my personal opinion (and I stress that
these are my personal opinions and not necessarily those of other Democrats
in the legislature) to help voters make their own decisions.
Amendment 1:
This amendment reauthorizes the Forever
Wild Land Trust for another 20 years. Forever Wild
protects Alabama’s natural beauty by purchasing land for public use and
recreation, including hiking trails, wildlife preserves, and ten state
parks. The program has been supported by people from all sorts of
backgrounds, most recently in a TV ad featuring former
Amendment 2:
Under current law, the state is allowed
to become indebted and to issue interest-bearing General Obligation bonds as
long as the bonds do not exceed $350 million (Amendment 666, Section VIII of
the state Constitution). This amendment would increase the limit on the
bonds from $350 million to $750 million. Supporters have
argued that this amendment is necessary to help pay for economic incentives
such as corporate tax breaks. While I support using incentives to help
recruit or expand business, I do not believe we need to be borrowing more
money after we just asked voters to borrow $437 million from the state’s
Trust Fund.
Amendment 3:
This amendment is specific to
Amendment 4:
Removes references to segregation in
schools and the poll tax from the state constitution. The amendment also
states that: “nothing in this Constitution shall be construed as creating or
recognizing any right to education or training at public expense….” We shouldn’t have to
forego our children’s right to an education just to get racist language out
of our state constitution. So I am encourage everyone to vote no on
Amendment 4.
Amendment 5:
This amendment is specific to
Amendment 6:
This amendment would prohibit any person
from being compelled to participate in any health care system, meaning the
government can’t make you buy health insurance.
This amendment is
meant to oppose Obamacare, but the U.S. Supreme Court already upheld the
mandatory insurance requirement. So even if this amendment passes, it won’t
matter.
Amendment 7:
This amendment guarantees the right to
vote by private ballot in elections for public office, referendum, or
employee representation is “fundamental.”
This amendment has
also been called the card-check amendment. It is misleading because you
already have the right to vote by secret ballot in political elections. What
this amendment is really about is taking away a tool that unions have to
organize in the workplace. But I am also afraid of the path it takes us
down. If we start telling private organizations how they can and cannot
organize, then what’s next? Are we going to start telling churches or
private groups like Kiwanis Clubs how they can and cannot conduct their
business? This amendment is
dangerous, and I urge you to vote no.
Amendment 8:
This amendment sets legislators pay at
the median household income and increases the reimbursement rate for travel. There are several
things wrong with this amendment. First, it does not repeal the pay raise of
2007. In fact, this amendment is actually a backdoor pay raise. If the
average household income increases, so will legislators’ pay. Also,
legislators who live further away will actually make more because of the
increase in travel reimbursements.
More legislative pay
raises are not the answer – especially when legislative leaders could not
even balance the budget without raiding the state’s Trust Fund.
Amendment 9:
This amendment updates the language in the constitution regarding the
regulation of business. I do not oppose it.
Amendment 10:
This amendment updates some of the constitution’s language regarding banks.
It also eliminates any time limits on the charters of banks, it eliminates
the need for a bank to renew its charter, and it requires banks to report to
the legislature and for the legislature to exam banks’ resources and
liabilities. I don’t like
everything in this amendment, but it also has some good points, so I will
not oppose it.
Amendment 11:
This amendment is a local issue relating
to Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, is the Minority Leader in the Alabama House of Representatives. |