The Escambia County (Ala.) Commission voted unanimously Monday to seek an attorney general’s opinion on whether or not the commission has the authority, without legislative approval, to put a 4-mill ad valorem tax increase on the ballot for citizens of the county to decide.
The issue centers around two amendments passed by the Alabama Legislature in 1947. Both bills were sponsored by State Rep. Barnes Lovelace. One bill allowed most all counties to put a 4-mill hospital tax on the ballot and Rep. Lovelace had another bill that specifically gave Escambia County the right to vote on the tax. Both bills passed at the ballot box.
Escambia County voters approved the 4-mill tax and the 4-mill statewide tax was also approved. The healthcare authority asked the commission to place the other 4-mills on the ballot. However, the commission wasn’t sure it had the authority based on the 1947 amendments and says it asked the healthcare authority to formally ask the commission to seek an attorney general’s opinion.
Following the commission’s administrative workshop last week, Chairman Raymond Wiggins sent a letter, dated Aug. 7, to Debbie Rowell, chairman of the healthcare authority, requesting the healthcare authority make the formal request for the commission to seek the opinion.
Rowell responded in a letter dated Aug. 9 requesting the commission seek the attorney general’s opinion.
“Accordingly, please accept this letter as a request from the authority for the commission to obtain an attorney general’s opinion as to whether the commission has the authority to conduct an election as set forth in, and pursuant to Amendment No. 72 to the constitution of Alabama,” Rowell wrote the commission.
Monday, the county commission passed a resolution and then voted unanimously to seek the attorney general’s opinion as to whether or not the commission had the authority to put the tax hike on the ballot.
Commissioner Karean Reynolds asked if getting the opinion, obligated the commission to anything and Wiggins said no.
Rowell and other members of the healthcare authority appeared before the commission in an administrative meeting. On June 4, healthcare officials told the commission D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital in Brewton and Atmore Community Hospital were losing about $800,000 per year and there was a $3.5 million loss between the two hospitals.
It was also noted that the current 4 mills generates about $1.8 million per year.
