AMENDMENT 17 RATIFIED

Tax Rates in Certain Municipalities.

The municipalities of Thorsby, Piedmont, and Greenville, and Roanoke, and Greensboro and Calera, Florala and Opp, Evergreen and Fayette, and Clayton and Clio in the state of Alabama, shall have the power and right to levy and collect a tax of one-half of one per centum in any one year on property situated therein, based on the valuation of such property as assessed for state taxation for the tax year ending on the thirtieth day of September next succeeding the levy; provided that for the purpose of paying bonds or indebtedness issued and outstanding at the time of the adoption of this amendment and the interest thereon, for the purpose of paying bonds or indebtedness which may be issued or incurred after the adoption of this amendment and the interest thereon, and an additional tax of one-half of one per centum may be levied and collected by said corporations; provided further, that a majority of the qualified electors of any of said municipal corporations voting at an election called for that purpose may vote a special tax not to exceed one-half of one per centum in any one year for any special purpose or purposes, which tax shall be used only for the purpose or purposes for which same is levied and collected; provided, however, that the total tax to be levied by any of said municipal corporations shall not exceed one and one-half (1 1/2) per centum in any one year. Alabama City shall have the power and right to levy and collect a tax of three-quarters of one per centum in any one year on property situated therein, based on the valuation of such property as assessed for state taxation. Provided, further, that the adoption of this amendment shall in no wise affect, limit, modify, abridge or impair the power, or authority or right of either of said municipal corporations to levy and collect the special school taxes, now or hereafter vested in or conferred upon them, or any of them, under the Constitution or any amendment thereto; including the power of the city of Selma to levy and collect the taxes for schools and school purposes vested in and conferred upon said city of Selma by the amendment to the Constitution of Alabama adopted thereto at the general election held in November, 1916, and which was submitted under Law Number 315, General Laws 1915, page 337 [Amendment No. 6], each election held under the provisions hereof shall be ordered, held, canvassed and may be contested in the same manner as is or may be provided by the law applicable to the municipal corporations for elections to authorize the issuance of municipal bonds. The ballots used at such election shall contain the words: "For .... excess rate of taxation for the year (or years) ....;" and "Against .... excess rate of taxation for the year (or years) ....." The rate of taxation proposed in excess of the rate of one (1) per centum to be shown in the blank space provided therefor and the year or years in which the proposed rate is to apply to be shown in the blank spaces provided therefor; and in the event different excess rates are proposed for different years the words mentioned shall be repeated as often as may be necessary to show separately the different rates proposed to be applied to the respective years. And the voter shall record his choice, whether for or against the excess rate or rates shown by placing a cross mark before or after the words expressing his choice. Nothing herein contained shall in any wise change or affect the rights of any holder of bonds of municipal corporations heretofore issued. Elections to authorize the levy of such special tax may be held as often as ordered by the governing body of the municipality but when a proposition is submitted to the electors to levy a special tax for a specific purpose, and such proposition is defeated no second election for the same shall be held in one year thereafter.