FROM THE COVER
health, safety, and welfare of all citizens.
• Belief that any additional restrictions on the use of constitutional and statutory procedures for condemnation of private property for necessary governmental purposes will serve to harm the collective well-being of all citizens.
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• Opposition to restricting or limiting a county commission’ s authority to independently make decisions related to county property.
• Opposition to shifting the control of county property to the oversight of a legislativelyestablished committee or state agency. Specifically, the Association strongly opposes the requirement that movement or renaming of monuments, buildings or streets be approved by such a committee.
• Support for local legislation providing for six( 6) year terms of office for County Commissioners.
Mandated and Unfunded Legislation
Foundation Principle
Without the authority to levy taxes or even collect fees for services, Alabama counties constantly struggle to provide an adequate level of services to ensure health, safety and prosperity of local citizens. Alabama’ s constitution provides protection from the enactment of mandated and unfunded responsibilities onto county government to ensure the financial integrity of the commission. The Association strongly supports the intent of Alabama’ s constitutional language prohibiting the enactment of unfunded mandates and opposes the establishment of such mandates through federal or state administrative actions.
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Strategic Goals
In furtherance of this Foundation Principle, the Association will actively pursue the passage of legislation to accomplish the following strategic goals:
• To amend the unfunded mandate constitutional amendment to provide that the exemption for defining crimes apply only to provisions of the law defining or amending a crime.
Legislative Policy
In addition to its strategic goals, the Association has adopted the following legislative policy consistent with this
Foundation Principle:
• Opposition to federal and state efforts to require county government to assume any financial or programmatic responsibilities that are currently financed and / or administered at the federal or state level.
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• Opposition to any mandated and unfunded requirement that counties assume new programs established by the federal or state government.
• Opposition to any federal or state legislative, administrative, or regulatory directives requiring county government to assume inspection, public safety, permitting responsibilities or other duties currently performed by the state or federal agency.
• Opposition to any legislative or regulatory directives requiring counties to provide housing, supplies, equipment or other expenses for a county coroner or other county officers.
• Opposition to state agencies administratively eliminating state services within a county for budgetary or other reasons without legislative approval.
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