Greene County voters will go to the polls Tuesday, and on their ballot, they’ll be considering an amendment to the Alabama Constitution that would raise property taxes by four mills. Sponsors say the money would be used to provide funding for Greene County’s struggling rural hospital.
The four mil special county tax on each dollar of taxable property in Greene County would be used for the construction, operation, equipping and maintenance of the public or nonprofit hospital facilities of the Greene County Health System.
If a majority of the qualified electors participating in the election shall vote in favor of the referendum, then the said taxes shall be levied and collected and provided to the Greene County Health System.
Critics of the move point out that Greene County has a population of just 8,111 people, the smallest county in the state. Greene County has experienced a 26.4 percent drop in population since 1980. Many of the residents of Greene County already get their healthcare services in nearby Tuscaloosa County.
Opponents say it may not be possible for Greene County to have a sufficient population to support a rural hospital.
Alabama has the largest Constitution in the world because the state Legislature insists on adding more and more amendments. To this point, the Alabama Constitution has 946 amendments and the state Legislature is asking Alabama voters to approve numerous amendments in this election.
