Considering all the publicity of late given to the topic of constitutional reform, with both sides of the argument holding equally valid points, there is one issue that stands out above the rest.

&uot;Home rules&uot; legislature is something that has been necessary since the Alabama Constitution of 1901 was written, but for whatever reason, the legislators and authors of the historical document wanted, at that time, to restrict the power of county government.

Be that as it may, we see no reason for voters in south central Alabama to vote on Constitutional amendments affecting only one particular county, especially when that county is so far from the area that most voters here don't even know where it is.

If an issue is important enough in one county for an amendment to be drawn into ballots, it should be treated as such, and not considered by voters all over the state, who by virtue of statistics do not vote affirmatively for any issue they do not understand.

In a time when our economy is at best moving at a smail's pace, local governments should have the right to make decisions concerning their own constituents.

That is one of the benefits of living in a democracy, and the reason that someone in Jefferson County does not cast a ballot for a Butler County Commission candidate.

Equally, people in Butler County should not have to consider voting on a tax issue that affects only the schools in Birmingham.