Jefferson County leaders encourage voters to support Amendment 14

This November, in addition to statewide and national elections, Alabama residents will vote on an amendment that could validate or invalidate hundreds of local acts.

Amendment 14, the final amendment on the ballot, would correct a procedural inconsistency in the legislature while grandfathering in nearly 700 local bills that would otherwise be “thrown out” on a technicality, said Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster), who sponsored the bill which brought about this amendment.

The amendment would grandfather in local bills from across the state, and Jefferson County leaders gathered on Tuesday, Oct. 25 to encourage voters to vote yes to this amendment on Nov. 8. Due to a recent court ruling that the state legislature had sometimes used incorrect voting mechanisms, bills passed using those incorrect procedures will be overturned if Amendment 14 does not pass.

State Rep. Oliver Robinson (D-Birmingham) said he believes it is a no-brainer to support the amendment, which would support House Bill 573, allowing Jefferson County to refinance its one cent sales tax. This law, which spurred the lawsuit and ruling that brought about a need Amendment 14, would allocate money to Jefferson County Schools, transit projects and other community resources such as the Birmingham Zoo.

Funding would also go toward economic development, including projects such as a new stadium for UAB, renovations to Legacy Arena and the civic center.

“In terms of the proposed football stadium and the renovation of Legacy Arena and the renovation of our civics center and convention space, what we’ve been fighting for over the last year and a half is the cultural relevance of UAB, UAB athletics, and what that means to the city of Birmingham,” said UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram. Ingram also introduced UAB football coach Bill Clark, who Ingram said was best to comment on bringing that cultural relevance back to Birmingham.

“We want to go from being good to being great, and it’s time,” Clark said. “What we talk about with our players every day is making history … but the everyday lives of our students, the everyday lives of our citizens, are on these extra things. These things like a stadium.”

House Bill 573 is one of the most important pieces of legislation Robinson said he has seen in his 18 years on the legislature, and that bill presents an opportunity to complete work that can steer the city and county to economic development.

“I say to you today that we must move forward as a city and as a county to make sure that our quality of life is better for everybody in this county,” he said, “and voting yes for Amendment 14 will do that for us.”

Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D-Jefferson County) said supporting Amendment 14 and thereby supporting House Bill 573 allows for Jefferson County to move to a new level, bringing in finances for schools, workforce development, transit and other resources.

“The amendment arose because of a need — a procedural change in our state of Alabama, the way our state legislature passes local legislation,” said Jefferson County Commission President Jimmy Stephens. “This creates nothing new, but it maintains a quality of life.”

Many people do not know what Amendment 14 is, Clark said, so it is important for people to learn more about it and make an educated vote.

“I asked a guy, I said, ‘What would you do with an amendment where you don’t know what it means?’ He said, ‘I’m not going to vote for it. If I think it’s new taxes I’m not going to vote for it,’” Clark said. “Well guess what? It’s neither of those. You now know what it is — it’s not new taxes. We need it. Let’s vote yes.”