Although city elections have been on the minds of most citizens recently, there is another vote that deserves attention too.

Citizens can vote yes or no on Sept. 18 for a constitutional referendum regarding the transfer of about $400 million out of the state education trust fund and into the state’s general fund.

If passed, this amendment would allow facilities and programs such as nursing homes, senior citizen feeding programs and state prisons to stay sustained and their employees working.

John Clyde Riggs, executive director of Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission, and Kim Ballard, county commission chairman, spoke with senior citizens at First Presbyterian Church of Selma Monday about the effects this amendment could have.

“We’re in a situation in Alabama right now that if we don’t get some of that money and put it into the general fund budget, it’s going to be catastrophic in regards to what happens,” Riggs said.

Because of the recession, Riggs said the general funds budget has had severe trimmings in recent years. So, in an effort to alleviate these setbacks, Riggs said this amendment would borrow money from the education fund over a three-year period.

“The education trust fund is basically a savings account,” Riggs said. “And what we do when we need money and we don’t have enough is we go to that savings account and get some out and we pay our bills.”

Specifically for feeding programs like the one held at First Presbyterian, if this amendment doesn’t pass, they would lose as many as 20 meals a day in their program, which serves about 150 people daily.

“We’ve never taken people off the program,” Riggs said. “I don’t even know how we would go about doing that or how it would be done. I don’t want to have to deal with 200 people in our 10 counties going without these meals.”

Ballard added that if the amendment doesn’t pass, there would be cuts in Medicaid, which could be devastating for Dallas County.

“It’ll put some of our local nursing homes and hospitals in very deep jeopardy because of the cuts in Medicaid that would come about if this doesn’t pass,” Ballard said. “In a poor county you cannot afford to lose Medicaid.”

There will be a countywide election on Sept. 18 with 30 polling places. Ballard said once he receives a sample ballot, it will be explained and made available to the public.

“All I’m asking you to do is go to the polls on Sept. 18 and vote yes for that constitutional amendment,” Riggs said.

For more information on the amendment, visit keepalabamaworking.com