SB 18

This bill would propose a local constitutional amendment relating to Tuscaloosa County to prohibit any municipality in the county from increasing the rate of sales and use tax levied by the municipality after ratification of this amendment except upon approval by a majority vote of the qualified electors of the municipality voting at a referendum held for that purpose on the date of the next regularly scheduled general election. The amendment would provide for publication of notice of the referendum and for public hearings on the proposed sales and use tax increase and would require public hearings in Tuscaloosa County prior to the election on this amendment

To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, relating to Tuscaloosa County, to prohibit any municipality in the county from increasing the rate of sales and use tax levied by the municipality after ratification of this amendment except upon approval by a majority vote of the qualified electors of the municipality voting at a referendum held for that purpose on the date of a regularly scheduled general election, to provide for publication of notice of the referendum and public hearings on the proposal; and to provide for public hearings in Tuscaloosa County prior to the election on this amendment.

Section 1

The following amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, is proposed and shall become valid as a part of the Constitution when all requirements of this act are fulfilled: PROPOSED AMENDMENT After the ratification of this amendment, no municipality in Tuscaloosa County may increase the rate of sales and use tax levied by the municipality unless the increase is approved by a majority vote of the qualified electors of the municipality voting at a referendum held for that purpose on the date of the next regularly scheduled general election not less than three months after the proposal of the sales and use tax increase by the municipality. Notice of the referendum shall be published in the same manner as notice of an ordinance is required in Section 11-45-8, Code of Alabama 1975, not less than 90 days prior to the referendum and the municipality shall conduct not less than two public hearings on the proposed sales and use tax increase prior to the referendum.

Section 2

(a) An election upon the proposed amendment shall be held at the next general election in accordance with Section 284.01 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 284.01 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, and the election laws of this state. (b) Not less than 30 days prior to the date of the election provided for in subsection (a), a public hearing on this amendment shall be held by the county commissioner in each district of the Tuscaloosa County Commission. Notice of the public hearing schedule shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county at least seven days prior to the public hearings commencing.

Section 3

The appropriate election official shall assign a ballot number for the proposed constitutional amendment on the election ballot and shall set forth the following description of the substance or subject matter of the proposed constitutional amendment:

Relating to Tuscaloosa County; proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to prohibit any municipality from increasing the rate of sales and use tax levied by the municipality after ratification of this amendment except upon approval by a majority vote of the qualified electors of the municipality voting at a referendum held for that purpose on the date of a regularly scheduled general election, and to provide for publication of notice of the referendum and public hearings on the proposal.

Proposed by Act _________" This description shall be followed by the following language:

Yes ( ) No ( )."