Decatur, Ala. | Thursday, May 23, 2013
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Editorial ENDORSEMENT
Vote ‘no’ on Amendment 11

We recommend a “no” vote on Amendment 11, a statewide referendum regarding municipal police jurisdictions that extend into Lawrence County.

The amendment would prevent municipalities in other counties from enforcing zoning or building codes in Lawrence County. It also would limit municipalities in their ability to provide safety services in the county.

The main problem with Amendment 11 is that — if it addresses a real problem — it should be in the form of statewide legislation, not a one-county amendment. Some Lawrence County residents are concerned that Decatur officials could impose regulations in the three-mile police jurisdiction, but be immune from political repercussions. This is true with every police jurisdiction in the state.

The only thing unique about Lawrence County on this issue is an argument against the amendment. Some in the county are working hard at economic development, with a recent success in the recruitment of Brown-Forman. Most industrial land in the county, including the Brown-Forman site, is within Decatur’s police jurisdiction. Industries need well-equipped firefighters and police. The amendment prohibits cities from providing police or fire protection in the absence of a mutual aid agreement.

There is no evidence that Decatur plans to impose zoning or building codes on Lawrence County. The county, which has chronic high unemployment, needs Decatur safety services to promote industrial development. This is an amendment that would create problems, not solve them.

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6 comments on this item

but they could - VOTE NO.

Has the DD editor considered this?: Decatur already requires people in the three mile area to come before zoning and planning boards. As always, DD ready to freely spend Decatur taxpayers money as long as it feeds their progressive agenda. Giving central planners any more power diminishes individual liberty and personal freedom. Vote yes on amendment 11. Keep government on a leash.

I think Ronald means Yes, which prevents out of county regulations. I agree with Kenneth to vote yes for more individual freedom and less government.

Let's get this right...! A rural area, needs Decatur taxpayers to underwrite costs so that the rural area benefits by choosing not to join any city. And....Decatur gets little to no benefit out of it!? This doesn't pass the smell test. Sorry, Daily, I see no intellectual value in voting NO.

I think the police jurisdiction should end at the city limits for all cities. With the three mile plan it makes people to have to endure the very laws they stayed out of the city for.

In Dothan they have these same laws and it is a mess in trying to figure out where the boundaries are as most laws are caprious this law states within three miles of the city limit but it does say how it is to be measured. In the 80's Dothan restaurant wanted to sell beer within so many feet of a church, hoever the owner was turned down. She went to court and won with court ruling that the way to measure how far was not in the law leaving an arbrtary and caprious way in enforcing the law to one own justification. Lawrence county may have to go to court in this manner

Vote Yes - Amendment 11 - Prohibit any municipality outside of Lawrence County from imposing any municipal ordinance

Keeps Decatur from overpowering Lawrence County.

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