State hopefuls disagree over Bass Pro vote

FLORENCE -- Three of four candidates running for legislative seats that represent Florence say they will stay out of the Bass Pro Shops controversy unless asked by the mayor or the city council to get involved.

Only Republican William Smith, who is running for the House District 1 seat held by Tammy Irons, said he would offer up a bill to allow the residents of Florence to vote on whether a Bass Pro would go into Veterans Park.

Last week, Councilman Scott Carrier urged residents to put pressure on their state legislators for a vote. He said he, too, would ask legislators in the next several days to consider the proposal.

Irons said she has been contacted by several residents asking for her to bring up a bill for a referendum on Bass Pro, an outdoors gear retailer.

"Any vote they took would be advisory and would not be binding on the city," Irons said. "It would strictly be an advisory opinion."

Carrier's fellow council members removed from the city council's agenda a resolution asking the local legislative delegation to pass a bill allowing for the referendum.

Irons said a $30,000 to $35,000 expense for a special city election for an opinion that would not be binding would be unwise use of taxpayer money.

"I'm not going to micromanage city business," she said.

Carrier disagrees about the binding power of a referendum. He said his understanding is that legislators could propose a local constitutional amendment saying residents of Florence would have to approve any development in Veterans Park.

A local constitutional amendment would have to be passed by the Legislature in order to be voted on just by the residents of Florence.

Legislators could not introduce a bill until March 2007, when the next session begins.

Smith said there are too many questions about Bass Pro that must be answered.

"I'd certainly be willing to offer up a referendum on this so the people of Florence could have an input on how their tax money is spent," Smith said. "There's talk about incentives and tax abatements. Both directly affect taxpayers."

An attraction is slated to go in Veterans Park as part of an agreement among the city, the Retirement Systems of Alabama and the Public Park Authority of the Shoals.

That agreement, as amended in October 2005, states RSA will submit a plan which the city and the authority cannot reject without just cause.

The city has entered into a contract with Anniston-based Southeast Capital Investments to study a Bass Pro and adjoining stores for Veterans Park.

David Bronner, RSA's top executive, said he favors a Bass Pro store in the park.

The agreement calls for the authority to pay $2 million toward the attraction from a bond issue currently being paid off with a 2-cent gas tax in Lauderdale and Colbert counties.

The agreement calls for no additional expenditure by the city of Florence. Early dialogue between the city and Bass Pro officials included talk of up to $20 million in incentives.

Democratic Sen. Bobby Denton and his Republican opponent, Buddy Brook, agree that a legislative referendum would not be appropriate.

"That's out of the purview of our business in the Legislature," said Denton.

"I've never made it a process to mandate to a local government, especially a city government that has home rule powers, and would not be receptive to getting into that. The city of Florence has capable men and women to handle the problems of Florence and has a good mayor."

Legislators are not required to get the blessing of a city council or county commission before introducing a local bill.

Brook said he would introduce a local bill only if asked to by the council.

"This is a city issue. The people voted this city council in," he said. "They'd have to take it up with the city council the same way they'd have to take it up with me if I wasn't doing my job as a senator."

Carrier said it is appropriate for legislators to get involved if they want to represent their constituent's interests.

"My main objection is to see that the people's voice is being heard and right now it's not being heard," Carrier said.

Todd Twilley can be reached at 740-5728 or todd.twilley@timesdaily.com.