FROM THE COVER
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County Expenditures for Compensation and Benefits
Foundation Principle
The County Commission is charged with making the budgeting decisions necessary to provide the most effective and efficient services to the citizens within the revenue available in each of the 67 courthouses . Legislatively-mandated adjustments in salary and benefits pose a threat to the delivery of such services . For this reason , the Association opposes any legislation which mandates any expenditure of county revenues for the payment of compensation , salary supplements , expense allowances , or benefits for current or former government officials or employees .
Strategic Goals
In furtherance of this Foundation Principle , the Association will actively pursue the passage of legislation to accomplish the following strategic goals :
• To reform Alabama ’ s workers ’ compensation law by reasonably reducing medical costs while not subjecting employers to increased payments or expenditures .
• To amend the statute regarding the appointment of members to the Board of Control of the Retirement Systems of Alabama to more closely reflect the employing agencies of the participating members of the system .
Legislative Policy
In addition to its strategic goals , the Association has adopted the following legislative policy consistent with this Foundation Principle :
• Support for the Omnibus Pay Act in its current form and opposition to any requirement to provide or increase compensation , benefits , or county-paid salary supplements for state or local officials .
• Opposition to mandated and unfunded requirements to provide or increase compensation or benefits for any county-paid personnel or volunteers .
• Opposition to shifting responsibility for the payment of the employee-share of retirement contributions for probate judges to the counties .
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• Support for the elimination of all supernumerary programs and opposition to any mandated and unfunded increases in payments made under existing programs .
• Support for authorizing cost of living increases for state and local retirees provided such legislation only applies to retirees in a particular county if approved by the county commission .
• Belief that any retirement program changes should not apply to local participants without approval of the county commission .
• Support for authorizing counties to establish civil service systems provided the creation of such systems does not provide for collective bargaining .
Alabama Governmental Structure
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Foundation Principle
The relationship between Alabama counties and the Alabama Legislature is established in constitutional and statutory law . The preservation of a constitutional relationship between the State of Alabama and its counties as well as a workable and productive statutory allocation of responsibilities between the state and the counties is essential to the delivery of services . Therefore , Alabama counties encourage the Alabama Legislature to fully fund
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