Alabama Citizens for Responsible Constitutional Reform credits its many supporters for exposing untruths surrounding Alabama's need for a new Constitution. For now Constitutional reform appears to be dead. Thank you - honest citizens of Alabama.

Constitution not hot issue it was when race began 06/01/02 THOMAS SPENCER News staff writer When the campaign for governor began, it seemed that reforming Alabama's century-old, oft-amended constitution would be a central issue in the race. Republican Lt. Gov. Steve Windom has consistently supported a constitutional rewrite, and last year Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman joined the push for rewriting the constitution, a cause long championed by academics, local politicians, some legislators and editorial writers. When U.S. Rep. Bob Riley entered the GOP race last year, he also called for constitutional reform. But in recent months, constitutional reform has faded into the background. The Legislature killed a proposal for a constitutional convention. Windom and Siegelman have detoured into a debate over Siegelman's resurrected lottery, relegating their constitutional proposals to a secondary issue. Riley limited his support for constitutional reform to targeted amendments that would have to pass through the Legislature. Reformers describe Alabama's constitution, the longest in the nation, as a complex jumble with more than 700 amendments that stands in the way of effective modern government. The chief complaints are that it concentrates power in Montgomery, giving the Legislature too much control of communities; locks in place an unstable and unfair tax system that falls heavily on the poor and middle class while protecting low taxes for industry and large land owners; and, finally, earmarks the vast majority of tax revenue received by the state, denying legislators the ability to set priorities and spend money as needed. Last year, the Legislature killed a proposal to hold a constitutional convention in which elected delegates would draft a new constitution to be submitted for a vote of the people. Among gubernatorial candidates, the most aggressive stance against constitutional revision was taken by Greenville businessman and Republican candidate Tim James, who contended reformers wanted a new constitution to raise taxes and remove prohibitions on gambling. A constitutional convention would be dominated by special interests, he said, and any changes needed could be accomplished by constitutional amendment. Riley now echoes that view while making a pitch for limited constitutional changes on the subjects of home rule for communities and the earmarking of state revenue. Riley says, if elected, he'd form a commission to study those issues and make recommendations for targeted amendments. Democratic challenger Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bishop would leave constitutional revision to the Legislature. Though it may no longer be the centerpiece of the Siegelman campaign, the governor says he still supports a new constitution written by a citizen's convention. Siegelman said the need to turn the process over to citizens is evident because the Legislature continues to tilt the tax burden toward consumers rather than closing loopholes that allow large corporations to avoid paying taxes. In 2001, the Legislature killed his proposal to increase taxes on corporations to avert a shortfall in the education budget. Instead, the Legislature overrode his veto and imposed a tax on long-distance cellular phone calls to raise cash. The Legislature's refusal to give the people a chance to vote on a constitutional convention was further evidence that a new constitution was needed to return power to communities and pave the way for a fairer tax system, he said. Windom also still supports a constitutional convention of the people but conceded, as the Siegelman campaign has, that the issue is not as popular with voters as it appeared to be last year. Windom blames Siegelman's association with the cause for making people suspicious of constitutional reform. Because of ethics questions surrounding the current administration, voters have grown wary of a convention, Windom said. If he were elected, he would still support a convention, but only after restoring "honesty and integrity" to state government, he said. Copyright 2002 al.com. All Rights Reserved.