Voters pass general fund amendment

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WALA) - Alabama voters have decided by a 2-to-1 margin to support the withdrawal of $437 million from a state trust fund to help balance the General Fund budget for the next three years.

Gov. Robert Bentley called it a temporary funding bridge to maintain essential state services while state officials work on right-sizing government.

In a statement, released Tuesday night, Bentley said:

“I want to thank the voters for approving the state’s plan to temporarily borrow funds from our savings account to help get us through these difficult economic times without raising taxes.  Once again, I pledge to the people of this state that the funds transferred to help support critical state services will be paid back."

Democratic state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile says voters safeguarded services for Alabama's most vulnerable citizens.

The president of Alabama Federation of Republican Women, Elois Zeanah, said voters were swayed by scare tactics about dramatic cuts in state services. She called the vote a defeat for transparency and good government.

With 81 percent of the precincts reporting Tuesday, the vote was 66 percent for and 34 percent against.