AMENDMENT 445 RATIFIED

Amendment of Amendment No. 432. Fire Protection Districts in Etowah County.

The Etowah county commission is authorized in its discretion to establish fire districts within the geographical boundaries of Etowah county, said districts to exclude any corporate municipality. Provided, however, any corporate municipality may request through resolution of its governing body to become subject to the provisions of this amendment upon the approval of the additional tax levied herein by a majority of the qualified electors of the corporate municipality.

The county commission is further authorized to enter into agreements with volunteer fire departments within such county for fire protection and services.

There is hereby levied, in addition to any taxes now authorized or that may be hereafter authorized by the Constitution and laws of Alabama, a fire protection tax of three mills. The fire protection tax levied herein shall be based upon the value of real and personal property assessed by affected property owners, as shown on the records of the tax assessor of Etowah county, Alabama, and shall be assessed and collected as are all ad valorem taxes in the county. The amount collected each year from assessment of this fire protection tax shall be paid into the county general fund and used in furtherance of fire protection within the affected area. Prior to the levy of the fire protection tax in a fire district, there shall be submitted to the electors of the district, at a special election called for that purpose in the district, the question of whether the said tax shall be levied, and the said tax shall be authorized at such election by a majority of the qualified electors within any particular fire district of the county or corporate municipality therein who vote at such election; provided further, that if a majority of the qualified electors of any of the fire districts participating in the election on the ratification of this amendment shall vote for the ratification of this amendment, then the approval of this amendment as expressed by the vote in said district in favor of its ratification shall, of itself, authorize the levy and collection of the tax for fire protection purposes in that fire district, commencing with the levy for the tax year for which taxes will become due and payable on October 1, 1985.

Elections on the question of the levy of a district fire protection tax may be held at any time and from time to time, provided, that if any such election held after the ratification of this amendment the proposal to levy the tax so submitted should be defeated then the proposal may not be submitted at another election held in the same district within two years from the last election held under this amendment.

Any act heretofore enacted regarding said Etowah county fire fighting districts is hereby ratified and confirmed insofar as it is consistent with this amendment.