Alabama Dems Pushing For Constitutional Reform Again
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: March 6, 2011
Democratic lawmakers held a press conference at the Statehouse today to
announce legislation establishing a Constitutional Convention.
Supporters say the current Constitution, written back in 1901, has hundreds of amendments to it, and every time a new amendment is added it’s weakened even more. They also say it prevents local governments from governing efficiently and creates a tax structure that forces a disproportionate share of income tax on lower income families.
Rep. Demetrius Newton,(D) District 53 says, “We’ve had a lot of rhetoric about lessening government in our country and in our state and government has kept power centered in Montgomery, Alabama due to the 1901 constitution and has stripped the local governments of the right to govern their own people. And if that’s true on a national level, and if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle truly believe that, then they have an opportunity to let the people decide, yes or no.”
Rep. Mike Hubbard, Speaker of the House, says, “It will be up to this body. I don’t get to decide it, but I personally opposed to a Constitutional Convention. I’m supportive of constitutional reform, but I believe we should do it article by article. Because I believe if we put out a document that is so widespread and makes so many changes and ask the public to digest that, I believe it would be voted down and that would be the end of constitutional reform.”
The legislation could be introduced sometime next week.
Supporters say the current Constitution, written back in 1901, has hundreds of amendments to it, and every time a new amendment is added it’s weakened even more. They also say it prevents local governments from governing efficiently and creates a tax structure that forces a disproportionate share of income tax on lower income families.
Rep. Demetrius Newton,(D) District 53 says, “We’ve had a lot of rhetoric about lessening government in our country and in our state and government has kept power centered in Montgomery, Alabama due to the 1901 constitution and has stripped the local governments of the right to govern their own people. And if that’s true on a national level, and if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle truly believe that, then they have an opportunity to let the people decide, yes or no.”
Rep. Mike Hubbard, Speaker of the House, says, “It will be up to this body. I don’t get to decide it, but I personally opposed to a Constitutional Convention. I’m supportive of constitutional reform, but I believe we should do it article by article. Because I believe if we put out a document that is so widespread and makes so many changes and ask the public to digest that, I believe it would be voted down and that would be the end of constitutional reform.”
The legislation could be introduced sometime next week.
