The state of Alabama is divided into 67 counties, each with a government headed by an elected commission. Counties once were basically rural governments, but that changed when large numbers of people moved out to the “suburbs,” while keeping their jobs in the cities.
In the 2000 census, 22 Alabama counties were officially recognized as part of 12 “metropolitan areas.” These are the county areas that surround Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Decatur, Florence, Dothan, Auburn-Opelika, Anniston, Gadsden and Phenix City (with Columbus, Ga.). They contain 70 percent of the state’s population and 76 percent of its jobs.
Need ‘capable’ leaders
Capable county governments are necessary to manage metropolitan growth. As early as 1901, Jefferson County was empowered to treat sewage after the uncoordinated activities of its 17 cities created a sanitary crisis. In the years since, counties have been authorized to respond to various kinds of local needs, but their structure has not been modernized.
States originally organized counties to administer basic governmental functions such as providing courthouses, enforcing criminal laws, conducting elections, collecting taxes and fees and maintaining roads. The state legislature wrote the rules; counties simply carried them out. While other Southeastern states have improved the decision-making capacity of counties, Alabama has not. Voters in urban counties should be able to approve reforms, and their governments should be required to follow basic rules of due process in making decisions.
Taxes, schools
A typical Alabama county levies about 10–14 mills of property tax and 1–2 cents of sales tax to support its activities. A number of them also tax sales of cigarettes and/or gasoline. In 2006, the Houston County Commission in Dothan spent about $350 for every resident — 36 percent went for public safety, 32 percent for roads and bridges and 17 percent for courts, county buildings and debt payment.
Every Alabama county also has a school system that is governed by a separately elected board. The county commission is required to provide at least 10 mills of local property tax support for its schools. Most counties levy more than 10 mills, plus one or more cents of sales tax, for school purposes.
EDITOR’S NOTE – Jim Williams is executive director for the nonprofit, nonpartisan Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.
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