for official actions provided there is no change in the statutory damage cap for awards against counties .
n To require municipalities to provide animal control services within its jurisdictional limits or contribute a pro rata share of services provided by the county .
n To amend the membership of the Alabama Local Government Training Institute to ensure representation of those groups participating in its programs and to allow the Institute to award certification to local emergency management programs .
n To clarify that only the elected local tax official may approve a settlement of lawsuits challenging the appraised value of property for ad valorem purposes .
Legislative Policy
In addition to its strategic goals , the Association has adopted the following legislative policy consistent with this Foundation Principle :
g Opposition to changes in the current CDARS Program and public depository law that could result in greater risk to the stability of county deposits .
g Belief that the Open Records Law adequately protects a citizen ’ s right to access of public documents .
g Opposition to efforts to remove or increase the current statutory damage cap in actions brought against county officials or employees or to repeal
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the prohibition against punitive damages .
g Opposition to any efforts to require counties to pay attorney fees .
g Support for the county commission role in adopting and enforcing the county budget and opposition to any efforts to weaken or direct the county commission ’ s exercise of this legislative authority .
g Opposition to requiring the county commission to vote or take action on a particular measure or issue .
g Support for limiting use of outof-state cooperative programs for purchases available on county joint bid list .
Election Administration
Foundation Principle
Alabama ’ s election laws must maintain an unquestioned level of integrity and objectivity while avoiding the wasteful spending of limited local and state resources . Likewise , the reporting and disclosure requirements placed on
candidates only serve to bolster such efforts to garner public confidence in the election process . The Association supports efforts to eliminate many of the unenforceable and overbroad provisions of Alabama ’ s election law while not generating additional unnecessary costs or burdens at the local level .
Strategic Goals
In furtherance of this Foundation Principle , the Association will actively pursue the passage of legislation to accomplish the following strategic goals :
n To eliminate the requirement that the county commission set and fund school tax elections for municipal school systems .
n Support legislation amending Alabama law reforming the current Board of Registrar system to provide more accountability , state and local oversight , and
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