Title: Nicholas Madaloni and M.A. Publishing Syndicate, a corporation v. The City of Mobile et al.
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 1071500
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: October 23, 2009

REL: 10/23/2009 
Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s 
may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1071500 
N i c h o l a s Madaloni and 
M.A. P u b l i s h i n g S y n d i c a t e , a 
c o r p o r a t i o n 
v. 
The C i t y o f Mobile e t a l . 
Appeal from M o b i l e C i r c u i t Court 
(CV-05-3394) 
SMITH, 
J u s t i c e . 
T h i s 
a c t i o n 
c o n c e r n s 
a v a r i e t y o f c o n s t i t u t i o n a l a n d 
s t a t u t o r y c h a l l e n g e s t o 
A c t 
No. 2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 , A l a . 
A c t s 2004, now 
c o d i f i e d a t 
§§ 11-54B-40 t h r o u g h - 5 8 , 
A l a . 
Code 1 9 7 5 , 
a n d C i t y 
o f 
M o b i l e 
O r d i n a n c e n o . 50-39-2005 b y p l a i n t i f f s 
N i c h o l a s 
1071500 
M a d a l o n i 
and M.A. 
P u b l i s h i n g S y n d i c a t e , a c o r p o r a t i o n . 
A c t 
No. 2004-382 a u t h o r i z e d t h e C i t y o f M o b i l e t o e n a c t 
O r d i n a n c e 
no. 5 0 - 3 9 - 2 0 0 5 , w h i c h c r e a t e d a s e l f - h e l p b u s i n e s s - i m p r o v e m e n t 
d i s t r i c t 
( " B I D " ) 
i n 
downtown 
M o b i l e . 
M.A. 
P u b l i s h i n g 
S y n d i c a t e i s an A l a b a m a c o r p o r a t i o n l o c a t e d i n downtown M o b i l e 
w i t h i n 
t h e BID, 
and 
M a d a l o n i 
i s t h e 
s o l e 
owner 
o f 
M.A. 
P u b l i s h i n g 
S y n d i c a t e . 
M a d a l o n i and M.A. 
P u b l i s h i n g S y n d i c a t e ( " t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s " ) 
now 
a p p e a l 
f r o m a summary j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d 
i n f a v o r o f t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s , 
t h e 
Downtown 
M o b i l e 
D i s t r i c t 
Management 
C o r p o r a t i o n , 
t h e C i t y 
o f M o b i l e , 
and t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a 
( c o l l e c t i v e l y 
" t h e d e f e n d a n t s " ) . 
We 
a f f i r m . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
By 
d e f i n i t i o n 
" [ A ] c t [No. 2004-382] 
i s i n t e n d e d as t h e 
e x c l u s i v e p r o c e d u r e b y w h i c h a C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t y 
may 
c r e a t e 
and m a i n t a i n a s e l f - h e l p b u s i n e s s i m p r o v e m e n t d i s t r i c t . " 
A c t 
No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 , 
§ 
3. 
A 
" s e l f - h e l p 
b u s i n e s s 
i m p r o v e m e n t 
d i s t r i c t " 
i s d e f i n e d i n A c t No. 
2004-382 
as " [ a ] n a r e a i n 
w h i c h a s p e c i a l a s s e s s m e n t may be l e v i e d on t h e owners o f r e a l 
p r o p e r t y l o c a t e d w i t h i n t h e g e o g r a p h i c a l a r e a o f t h e d i s t r i c t 
f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f p r o v i d i n g s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s w i t h i n t h e 
2 
1071500 
d i s t r i c t and p r o m o t i n g 
t h e e c o n o m i c and g e n e r a l w e l f a r e o f t h e 
d i s t r i c t . "
1 
A c t 
No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 , 
§ 2. 
A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
was 
p a t t e r n e d a f t e r A c t No. 94-677, A l a . A c t s 1975, 
c o d i f i e d a t 
§§ 
11-54B-1 t h r o u g h 
-39, 
A l a . Code 1975, 
w h i c h e s t a b l i s h e s t h e 
e x c l u s i v e 
p r o c e d u r e 
f o r 
C l a s s 
1 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s 
t o 
a d o p t 
o r d i n a n c e s 
t o c r e a t e B I D s . 
B e f o r e t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f S e n a t e 
B i l l 
146, w h i c h became 
A c t No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 , i n t h e A l a b a m a L e g i s l a t u r e , 
a s y n o p s i s 
o f 
t h e p r o p o s e d a c t was 
p u b l i s h e d i n t h e M o b i l e 
P r e s s - R e g i s t e r 
once 
a week 
f o r 
f o u r 
c o n s e c u t i v e 
weeks 
i n 
J a n u a r y 
2 0 0 4 .
2 
S e n a t e 
B i l l 
146 
u l t i m a t e l y 
p a s s e d 
b o t h 
h o u s e s 
o f 
t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e , and i t was a p p r o v e d and s i g n e d by t h e g o v e r n o r 
on 
May 
3, 2004. 
1 A c t No. 2004-382 p r o v i d e s t h a t " [ a ] C l a s s 2 
m u n i c i p a l i t y , 
by o r d i n a n c e , may 
p r o v i d e f o r t h e c r e a t i o n and m a i n t e n a n c e o f 
one o r more s e l f - h e l p b u s i n e s s i m p r o v e m e n t d i s t r i c t s 
p u r s u a n t 
t o 
t h i s 
a r t i c l e . " 
§ 
3 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
I f 
a 
C l a s s 
2 
m u n i c i p a l i t y 
a d o p t s 
an 
o r d i n a n c e 
t o 
c r e a t e 
a 
BID, 
t h a t 
" o r d i n a n c e 
... 
s h a l l 
p r o v i d e 
t h a t 
a l l 
c o s t s 
o f 
t h e 
s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s 
p r o v i d e d 
i n 
a 
s e l f - h e l p 
b u s i n e s s 
i m p r o v e m e n t d i s t r i c t 
s h a l l be f i n a n c e d t h r o u g h t h e l e v y by 
t h e 
m u n i c i p a l i t y 
o f 
a 
s p e c i a l 
a s s e s s m e n t 
on 
t h e 
owners 
o f 
t h e 
nonexempt r e a l p r o p e r t y l o c a t e d w i t h i n t h e g e o g r a p h i c a l 
a r e a 
o f 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
" 
A c t 
No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 , 
§ 
8 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
2 T h e t e x t o f t h e n o t i c e i s p r o v i d e d 
i n f r a . 
3 
1071500 
A f t e r A c t No. 2004-382 became e f f e c t i v e , 
i n d i v i d u a l s 
who 
owned p r o p e r t y l o c a t e d i n downtown M o b i l e 
r e q u e s t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
c i t y 
c o u n c i l 
f o r t h e 
C i t y 
o f 
M o b i l e 
a d o p t 
an 
o r d i n a n c e 
t o 
c r e a t e a BID. 
P u r s u a n t 
t o t h e p r o c e d u r e s 
s e t o u t i n A c t 
No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 , t h e 
i n d i v i d u a l s 
p r e s e n t e d 
t h e 
c i t y 
c o u n c i l w i t h 
a 
" M o b i l e Downtown B u s i n e s s I m p r o v e m e n t P l a n , " w h i c h s t a t e s t h a t 
t h e y 
d e s i r e d 
t h e 
c r e a t i o n o f 
a 
BID 
i n downtown 
M o b i l e 
t o 
i m p r o v e 
s a f e t y , 
m a i n t e n a n c e , 
p a r k i n g , 
and 
r e t a i l / o f f i c e 
r e c r u i t m e n t 
and 
r e t e n t i o n i n 
t h e 
a r e a . 
The 
c i t y 
c o u n c i l 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
h e l d a h e a r i n g on a p r o p o s e d o r d i n a n c e 
t o c r e a t e 
t h e BID 
i n downtown M o b i l e . 
One 
week a f t e r 
t h e h e a r i n g , 
on 
May 
10, 2005, t h e 
c i t y 
c o u n c i l 
e n a c t e d 
O r d i n a n c e no. 
50-39¬
2005. 
The 
o r d i n a n c e 
d e s i g n a t e d 
t h e 
g e o g r a p h i c 
a r e a 
o f 
t h e 
BID, i m p o s e d a s p e c i a l a s s e s s m e n t upon owners o f r e a l p r o p e r t y 
w i t h i n t h e 
d i s t r i c t t o f i n a n c e t h e c o s t s o f t h e 
s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s 
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a BID, 
and 
d e s i g n a t e d 
t h e Downtown 
M o b i l e 
D i s t r i c t 
Management 
C o r p o r a t i o n 
as 
t h e 
e n t i t y 
t h a t 
w o u l d p r o v i d e s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s w i t h i n t h e 
d i s t r i c t . 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
b r o u g h t 
t h i s 
a c t i o n s e e k i n g 
a j u d g m e n t 
d e c l a r i n g A c t No. 2004-382 and O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 v o i d . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
a s s e r t e d t h a t 
t h e 
A c t 
and 
t h e 
4 
1071500 
O r d i n a n c e v i o l a t e A r t . I V , §§ 45, 89, 104, 105, and 106, and 
A r t . 
X I I , § 223, o f t h e A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n o f 1901 ( O f f . 
Recomp.). 
The p l a i n t i f f s 
f u r t h e r a s s e r t e d t h a t A c t No. 2004¬
382 and O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 
c o n f l i c t w i t h §§ 39-2-2 
and 
4 1 - 1 6 - 5 0 , 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
and 
v a r i o u s 
s e c t i o n s 
o f 
t h e 
M u n i c i p a l 
P u b l i c I m p r o v e m e n t s A c t , § 11-48-1 
e t s e q . , A l a . 
Code 1975, and t h e A l a b a m a Improvement D i s t r i c t A c t , § 11-99A-
1 e t s e q . , A l a . Code 1975. 
I n t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t , t h e p a r t i e s f i l e d c r o s s - m o t i o n s 
f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
e a c h 
o f t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s ' 
summary-judgment 
m o t i o n s w i t h o u t an o p i n i o n . 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
t h e n moved " p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 5 4 ( b ) [ , A l a . R. C i v . 
P.,] 
f o r t h e c o u r t 
t o r u l e on t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s ' 
m o t i o n f o r 
summary j u d g m e n t and t o e n t e r a f i n a l 
o r d e r 
i n t h i s 
c a u s e . " 
T h e r e a f t e r , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' 
summary-
j u d g m e n t m o t i o n i n an o r d e r 
t h a t 
s t a t e d " a l l i s s u e s i n t h i s 
c a s e have b e e n a d j u d i c a t e d . " 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
a p p e a l . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
" ' T h i s 
c o u r t 
r e v i e w s 
de 
novo 
a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f a s t a t u t e , b e c a u s e o n l y a q u e s t i o n 
o f l a w i s p r e s e n t e d . ' 
S c o t t B r i d g e Co. v. W r i g h t , 
883 So. 2d 1221, 1223 
( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) . Where, as 
h e r e , 
t h e f a c t s o f a c a s e a r e e s s e n t i a l l y u n d i s p u t e d , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
must 
d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
5 
1071500 
m i s a p p l i e d t h e l a w t o t h e u n d i s p u t e d f a c t s , 
a p p l y i n g 
a de novo s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w . " 
C o n t i n e n t a l 
N a t ' l 
Indem. 
Co. 
v. 
F i e l d s , 
926 
So. 
2d 
1033, 
1034-35 
( A l a . 2 0 0 5 ) . 
L i k e w i s e , 
" ' [ o ] u r 
r e v i e w 
o f 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
c h a l l e n g e s 
t o 
l e g i s l a t i v e 
e n a c t m e n t s 
i s de 
n o v o . ' 
R i c h a r d s 
v. 
 
I z z i , 
819 
So. 
2d 
25, 
29 
n.3 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 1 ) . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
a c t s o f t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
a r e p r e s u m e d 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l . 
S t a t e v. A l a b a m a Mun. 
I n s . C o r p . , 
730 So. 2d 107, 110 
( A l a . 1 9 9 8 ) . 
See 
a l s o Dobbs v.  
S h e l b y C o u n t y E c o n . & I n d u s . Dev. A u t h . , 749 So. 
2d 
425, 
428 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 9 ) ( ' I n 
r e v i e w i n g 
t h e 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y 
o f a l e g i s l a t i v e 
a c t , t h i s 
C o u r t 
w i l l 
s u s t a i n 
t h e 
a c t 
" ' u n l e s s i t i s c l e a r 
b e y o n d 
r e a s o n a b l e 
d o u b t 
t h a t 
i t 
i s 
v i o l a t i v e 
o f 
t h e 
f u n d a m e n t a l 
l a w . ' " 
W h i t e 
v. R e y n o l d s 
M e t a l s 
Co., 
558 
So. 
2d 
373, 
383 
( A l a . 1 
98 9 ) ( q u o t i n g 
A l a b a m a 
 
S t a t e Fed'n o f L a b o r v. M c A d o r y , 246 A l a . 1, 9, 
18 
So. 
2d 
810, 
815 
( 1 9 4 4 ) ) . ' ) . 
We 
a p p r o a c h 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n o f t h e 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y 
o f a 
l e g i s l a t i v e 
a c t 
' " ' w i t h 
e v e r y 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
and 
i n t e n d m e n t 
i n 
f a v o r 
o f i t s v a l i d i t y , 
and 
s e e k t o s u s t a i n 
r a t h e r 
t h a n 
s t r i k e 
down 
t h e 
e n a c t m e n t 
o f 
a c o o r d i n a t e 
b r a n c h o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t . ' " ' 
Monroe v. H a r c o , I n c . , 
762 
So. 
2d 828, 
831 
( A l a . 2000) 
( q u o t i n g Moore 
v.  
M o b i l e 
I n f i r m a r y A s s ' n , 
592 
So. 
2d 156, 
159 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 1 ) , q u o t i n g i n t u r n M c A d o r y , 246 A l a . a t 9, 
18 
So. 2d a t 8 1 5 ) . 
" M o r e o v e r , i n o r d e r t o o v e r c o m e t h e p r e s u m p t i o n 
o f 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y , 
... 
t h e p a r t y 
a s s e r t i n g 
t h e 
u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y o f t h e A c t ... b e a r s t h e b u r d e n 
'to 
show 
t h a t 
[ t h e A c t ] 
i s n o t 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l . ' 
B o a r d o f T r u s t e e s o f E m p l o y e e s ' 
R e t i r e m e n t S y s . o f  
M o n t g o m e r y v. T a l l e y , 291 A l a . 307, 310, 280 So. 
2d 
553, 556 
( 1 9 7 3 ) . See a l s o T h o r n v. J e f f e r s o n 
C o u n t y , 
375 
So. 2d 780, 
787 
( A l a . 1 9 7 9 ) ( ' I t i s t h e l a w , o f 
c o u r s e , 
t h a t 
a p a r t y 
a t t a c k i n g 
a 
s t a t u t e 
has 
t h e 
6 
1071500 
b u r d e n 
o f 
o v e r c o m i n g 
t h e 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
o f 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y 
' ) . " 
S t a t e ex r e l . K i n g v. M o r t o n , 
955 So. 2d 1012, 1017 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 6 ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
A p r i n c i p a l 
i s s u e i n t h i s c a s e i s w h e t h e r A c t No. 2004¬
382 
i s a " g e n e r a l l a w " o r a 
" l o c a l 
l a w . " 
The 
d i s t i n c t i o n 
b e t w e e n a g e n e r a l l a w and a l o c a l l a w i s s i g n i f i c a n t 
b e c a u s e 
t h e A l a b a m a 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
p l a c e s c e r t a i n 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
on t h e 
power o f t h e l e g i s l a t u r e t o e n a c t l o c a l l a w s . 
See, e . g . , A r t . 
I V , §§ 104, 105, and 106, A l a . 
C o n s t . 1901 ( O f f . 
Recomp.). 
A r t i c l e I V , § 110, o f t h e A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n o f 1901 
( O f f . Recomp.), as amended by Amendments No. 375 and No. 397, 
d e f i n e s t h e t e r m s " g e n e r a l l a w " and " l o c a l l a w " as 
f o l l o w s : 
"A g e n e r a l l a w i s a l a w w h i c h i n i t s t e r m s and 
e f f e c t a p p l i e s e i t h e r t o t h e w h o l e s t a t e , o r t o one 
o r more m u n i c i p a l i t i e s o f t h e s t a t e 
l e s s 
t h a n t h e 
w h o l e i n a c l a s s . A g e n e r a l l a w a p p l i c a b l e t o s u c h 
a c l a s s o f m u n i c i p a l i t i e s 
s h a l l d e f i n e t h e c l a s s on 
t h e 
b a s i s 
o f 
c r i t e r i a 
r e a s o n a b l y 
r e l a t e d 
t o t h e 
p u r p o s e o f t h e l a w , p r o v i d e d t h a t t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
may 
a l s o 
e n a c t 
and c h a n g e 
f r o m 
t i m e 
t o t i m e 
a 
g e n e r a l s c h e d u l e o f n o t more t h a n e i g h t 
c l a s s e s o f 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s b a s e d on p o p u l a t i o n a c c o r d i n g t o any 
d e s i g n a t e d 
f e d e r a l 
d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s , 
and g e n e r a l 
l a w s f o r any p u r p o s e may 
t h e r e a f t e r be e n a c t e d f o r 
any 
s u c h 
c l a s s . 
Any l a w h e r e t o f o r e 
e n a c t e d 
w h i c h 
c o m p l i e s w i t h t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h i s 
s e c t i o n 
s h a l l 
be c o n s i d e r e d a g e n e r a l l a w . 
7 
1071500 
"No 
g e n e r a l 
l a w 
w h i c h 
a t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f 
i t s 
e n a c t m e n t 
a p p l i e s 
t o 
o n l y 
one 
m u n i c i p a l i t y 
o f 
t h e 
s t a t e 
s h a l l 
be 
e n a c t e d , 
u n l e s s 
n o t i c e 
o f 
t h e 
i n t e n t i o n 
t o 
a p p l y 
t h e r e f o r 
s h a l l h a v e b e e n 
g i v e n 
and 
shown 
as 
p r o v i d e d 
i n 
S e c t i o n 
106 
o f 
t h i s 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
f o r 
s p e c i a l , 
p r i v a t e 
o r 
l o c a l 
l a w s ; 
p r o v i d e d , 
t h a t 
s u c h 
n o t i c e 
s h a l l 
n o t 
be deemed 
t o 
c o n s t i t u t e s u c h l a w 
a l o c a l 
l a w . 
"A 
s p e c i a l o r p r i v a t e l a w 
i s one 
w h i c h 
a p p l i e s 
t o 
an 
i n d i v i d u a l , 
a s s o c i a t i o n 
o r 
c o r p o r a t i o n . 
A 
l o c a l 
l a w 
i s a l a w w h i c h i s n o t 
a g e n e r a l 
l a w 
o r 
a 
s p e c i a l o r p r i v a t e 
l a w . " 
A l a b a m a 
l a w 
i s 
w e l l 
e s t a b l i s h e d 
t h a t 
"when 
a 
d i s p u t e 
a r i s e s o v e r w h e t h e r a l a w 
i s l o c a l o r i s g e n e r a l 
i n n a t u r e , 
a 
c o u r t 
i s 
o b l i g a t e d , 
when 
p o s s i b l e , 
t o 
r e a d 
t h e 
l a w 
as 
a 
g e n e r a l 
one." 
Densmore v. 
J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y , 813 
So. 
2d 
844, 
849 
( A l a . 2001) 
( c i t i n g N o r t o n v. M o b i l e C o u n t y , 
562 
So. 
2d 
503 
( A l a . 1 9 9 0 ) ) ; 
see 
a l s o 
S t a t e 
ex 
r e l . C o n r a d v. B o a r d 
o f 
 
Revenue 
& Road Comm'rs, 
231 
A l a . 
18, 
21, 
163 
So. 
345, 
348 
(1935) 
("We 
a r e 
f i r m l y 
c o m m i t t e d 
t o 
t h e 
p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t 
a 
s t a t u t e s h o u l d 
n o t 
be 
h e l d 
t o be 
l o c a l , w h e r e , by 
i t s t e r m s , 
g i v e n 
a 
r e a s o n a b l e 
and 
f a i r 
c o n s t r u c t i o n , 
i t 
may 
be 
i n t e r p r e t e d 
as 
a 
g e n e r a l 
l a w , 
and 
i t s 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y 
t h e r e b y 
s u s t a i n e d . " ) . 
However, 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
has 
a l s o 
w a r n e d 
t h a t 
"an 
a c t 
t h a t was 
c l e a r l y 
i n t e n d e d 
t o a p p l y 
t o a 
s i n g l e 
c o u n t y must be 
c o n s t r u e d 
as a l o c a l a c t . " 
N o r t o n , 562 
So. 
2d 
8 
1071500 
a t 505 
( c i t i n g O p i n i o n o f t h e J u s t i c e s No. 197, 284 A l a . 
626, 
227 So. 2d 396 
( 1 9 6 9 ) ) . 
The p l a i n l a n g u a g e o f A c t No. 2004-382 does n o t a p p l y t o 
a 
s p e c i f i c 
m u n i c i p a l i t y ; 
r a t h e r , 
t h e A c t 
s e t s 
o u t t h e 
e x c l u s i v e p r o c e d u r e by w h i c h "any C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t y " c a n 
a d o p t an o r d i n a n c e 
t o c r e a t e a B I D . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , A c t No. 
2004-382 i s a g e n e r a l l a w . The p l a i n t i f f s , i n a r e p l y b r i e f , 
c o n c e d e as much. 
See p l a i n t i f f s ' 
r e p l y b r i e f t o t h e S t a t e ' s 
b r i e f , p. 1 ("Act No. 2004-382 was a g e n e r a l l a w 
" ) . 
1. A r t i c l e I V , §§ 104, 105, and 106, A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n o f 
 
1901 
As a g e n e r a l l a w , A c t No. 2004-382 does n o t v i o l a t e 
A r t . 
I V , §§ 104 and 105, A l a . 
C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 , b e c a u s e t h o s e 
s e c t i o n s 
a r e a p p l i c a b l e o n l y t o s p e c i a l , 
p r i v a t e , o r l o c a l 
l a w s .
3 
The p l a i n t i f f s 
a r g u e , h o w e v e r , t h a t A c t No. 2004-382 i s 
s u b j e c t t o t h e n o t i c e r e q u i r e m e n t s 
f o r l o c a l l a w s s e t o u t i n 
3 S e c t i o n 104 p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
" [ t ] h e l e g i s l a t u r e 
s h a l l n o t 
p a s s a s p e c i a l , p r i v a t e , o r l o c a l l a w i n any o f t h e f o l l o w i n g 
c a s e s 
" 
S e c t i o n 105 p r o v i d e s as f o l l o w s : 
"No s p e c i a l , p r i v a t e , o r l o c a l l a w ... s h a l l be 
e n a c t e d 
i n any c a s e 
w h i c h 
i s p r o v i d e d 
f o r b y a 
g e n e r a l l a w , o r when t h e r e l i e f s o u g h t c a n be g i v e n 
by 
any 
c o u r t 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e ; 
... n o r 
s h a l l 
t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
i n d i r e c t l y 
e n a c t 
any 
s u c h 
s p e c i a l , 
p r i v a t e , 
o r l o c a l 
l a w b y t h e p a r t i a l 
r e p e a l o f a 
g e n e r a l l a w . " 
9 
1071500 
A r t . 
I V , 
§ 
1 0 6 .
4 
A r t i c l e 
I V , 
§ 
110, 
A l a . C o n s t . 
1 9 0 1 , 
p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
no 
" g e n e r a l 
l a w 
w h i c h 
a t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f i t s 
e n a c t m e n t 
a p p l i e s t o o n l y one m u n i c i p a l i t y o f t h e s t a t e " 
s h a l l 
be e n a c t e d u n l e s s 
n o t i c e o f t h e l a w was 
g i v e n 
as r e q u i r e d 
by 
A r t . 
I V , § 106, o f t h e A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n . 
See 
a l s o § 11¬
4 0 - 1 3 , A l a . Code 1975 
(same). 
The A l a b a m a 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
i s 
c l e a r , h o w e v e r , t h a t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t f o r n o t i c e o f a 
g e n e r a l 
l a w u n d e r § 106 
" s h a l l n o t be deemed t o c o n s t i t u t e s u c h l a w a 
l o c a l 
l a w . " 
A r t . I V , § 110, A l a . C o n s t . 
1901. 
H e r e , 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
c o n t e n d 
t h a t 
A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
a p p l i e s t o o n l y one m u n i c i p a l i t y b e c a u s e , t h e y a r g u e , t h e C i t y 
o f M o b i l e was 
t h e s o l e C l a s s 
2 m u n i c i p a l i t y w i t h i n t h e 
S t a t e 
o f A l a b a m a when A c t No. 2004-382 was e n a c t e d . 
S e c t i o n 
11-40-
4 S e c t i o n 
106 p r o v i d e s as 
f o l l o w s : 
"No 
s p e c i a l , 
p r i v a t e , 
o r 
l o c a l 
l a w 
s h a l l 
be 
p a s s e d on any 
s u b j e c t 
n o t e n u m e r a t e d i n s e c t i o n 
104 
o f 
t h i s 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
... 
u n l e s s 
n o t i c e 
o f 
t h e 
i n t e n t i o n 
t o 
a p p l y 
t h e r e f o r e 
s h a l l 
h a v e 
b e e n 
p u b l i s h e d 
... 
i n t h e c o u n t y 
o r 
c o u n t i e s 
where 
t h e 
m a t t e r 
o r 
t h i n g 
t o 
be 
a f f e c t e d 
may 
be 
s i t u a t e d , 
w h i c h 
n o t i c e 
s h a l l 
s t a t e 
t h e 
s u b s t a n c e 
o f 
t h e 
p r o p o s e d 
l a w and be p u b l i s h e d 
a t l e a s t once a week 
f o r 
f o u r 
c o n s e c u t i v e 
weeks 
i n 
some 
n e w s p a p e r 
p u b l i s h e d 
i n 
s u c h 
c o u n t y 
o r 
c o u n t i e s 
The 
c o u r t s 
s h a l l p r o n o u n c e 
v o i d e v e r y s p e c i a l , 
p r i v a t e , 
o r l o c a l l a w w h i c h t h e 
[ l e g i s l a t i v e ] 
j o u r n a l s do n o t 
a f f i r m a t i v e l y show was p a s s e d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h 
t h e 
p r o v i s i o n s 
o f t h i s 
s e c t i o n . " 
10 
1071500 
1 2 ( a ) , A l a . 
Code 1975, s e t s o u t t h e f o l l o w i n g c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s 
f o r m u n i c i p a l i t i e s : 
" ( a ) T h e r e a r e h e r e b y e s t a b l i s h e d e i g h t c l a s s e s 
o f 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s 
b a s e d 
on 
t h e 
p o p u l a t i o n 
as 
c e r t i f i e d b y t h e 1970 f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s , as 
a u t h o r i z e d 
by 
Amendment 
No. 
375 
[now 
§ 
1 1 0 ] , 
C o n s t i t u t i o n o f A l a b a m a o f 1 9 0 1 , as f o l l o w s : 
f i 
" C l a s s 2: 
A l l 
c i t i e s w i t h a p o p u l a t i o n o f 
n o t l e s s t h a n 175,000 and n o t more t h a n 299,999 
i n h a b i t a n t s 
" 
The d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
o f w h e t h e r t h e C i t y o f M o b i l e was t h e 
o n l y C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t y when A c t No. 2004-382 was 
e n a c t e d 
h i n g e s on w h e t h e r t h e C i t y ' s p o p u l a t i o n i s b a s e d upon t h e 1970 
f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l c e n s u s o r t h e most r e c e n t f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s . 
I f t h e p o p u l a t i o n 
i s b a s e d 
on t h e 1970 
f e d e r a l 
d e c e n n i a l c e n s u s , t h e C i t y o f M o b i l e i s t h e o n l y m u n i c i p a l i t y 
w i t h a p o p u l a t i o n 
t h a t 
f a l l s w i t h i n t h e C l a s s 2 d e s i g n a t i o n ; 
i f i t 
i s b a s e d on t h e 2000 f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l c e n s u s , t h e C i t y 
o f M o b i l e , t h e C i t y o f B i r m i n g h a m , and t h e C i t y o f M o n t g o m e r y 
a l l 
f a l l 
w i t h i n t h e C l a s s 2 d e s i g n a t i o n . 
The p l a i n t i f f s 
c o n t e n d t h a t § 1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 ( a ) p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s 
must be 
b a s e d 
upon 
t h e p o p u l a t i o n 
as 
t a b u l a t e d 
b y t h e 1970 
f e d e r a l 
d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s 
and 
t h a t , 
11 
1071500 
t h e r e f o r e , 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s 
c a n n o t grow i n t o 
o r 
s h r i n k o u t 
o f 
t h e 
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s .
5 
I n 
t h i s 
c a s e , 
a 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
o f 
w h e t h e r § 1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 ( a ) 
i s t i e d 
t o t h e 
1970 
f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s 
o r 
t o 
t h e most r e c e n t 
f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l c e n s u s 
and, 
t h e r e f o r e , w h e t h e r A c t No. 
2004-382 i s s u b j e c t t o A r t . I V , 
§ 
106, 
A l a . C o n s t . 
1901, 
i s u n n e c e s s a r y . 
I f § 1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 ( a ) i s 
t i e d 
t o 
t h e most 
r e c e n t 
f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s , 
A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
i s 
a 
g e n e r a l 
l a w 
t h a t 
a p p l i e d 
t o more 
t h a n 
one 
m u n i c i p a l i t y when i t was 
e n a c t e d . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
A c t No. 
2004¬
382 w o u l d n o t be s u b j e c t t o t h e n o t i c e r e q u i r e m e n t s 
o f § 
106. 
5 T h i s 
C o u r t 
has 
r e p e a t e d l y 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
§ 
1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 ( a ) 
p r o v i d e s 
t h a t t h e 
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s 
a r e b a s e d upon 
p o p u l a t i o n s 
as c e r t i f i e d by t h e 1970 
f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l c e n s u s . 
See, 
e . g . . 
P h a s e 
I I , LLC 
v. 
C i t y 
o f 
H u n t s v i l l e , 
952 
So. 
2d 
1115, 
1118 
( A l a . 
2006) 
( " C l a s s 
3 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s 
a r e 
t h o s e 
h a v i n g 
p o p u l a t i o n s 
o f 
'not 
l e s s 
t h a n 
100,000 
and 
n o t 
more 
t h a n 
174,999 
i n h a b i t a n t s ' b a s e d 
on 
t h e 
1970 
f e d e r a l 
d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s . " 
( q u o t i n g § 1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 ( a ) , A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 ) ) ; 
O p i n i o n 
o f 
 
t h e 
J u s t i c e s No. 
361, 
693 
So. 
2d 21, 
22 
( A l a . 1997) 
( s a m e ) ; 
P h a l e n 
v. 
B i r m i n g h a m 
R a c i n g Comm'n, 481 
So. 
2d 
1108, 
1114 
( A l a . 
1985) 
( " S e c t i o n 11-40-12 d e f i n e s C l a s s I m u n i c i p a l i t i e s 
... b a s e d on t h e p o p u l a t i o n as 
c e r t i f i e d by t h e 
1970 
f e d e r a l  
d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s . " ) ; 
S i e g e l m a n v. 
F o l m a r , 
432 
So. 
2d 
1246, 
1249 
( A l a . 1983) 
( " S e c t i o n 
1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 , Code 1975, 
s t a t e s 
t h a t 
c l a s s 3 m u n i c i p a l i t i e s a r e a l l c i t i e s w i t h p o p u l a t i o n s o f 
n o t 
l e s s 
t h a n 
100,000 
and 
n o t 
more 
t h a n 
174,999 
i n h a b i t a n t s 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o 
t h e 
1970 
f e d e r a l 
d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s . " ) . 
N o n e t h e l e s s , 
i n L i f e s t a r R e s p o n s e o f A l a b a m a , I n c . v. L e m u e l , 
908 
So. 
2d 
207 , 219 
( A l a . 2004 ), 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
t o o k 
j u d i c i a l 
n o t i c e o f t h e 2000 f e d e r a l d e c e n n i a l c e n s u s when 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f a m u n i c i p a l i t y f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f m u n i c i p a l 
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n u n d e r § 1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 ( a ) . 
12 
1071500 
A l t e r n a t i v e l y , i f 
§ 1 1 - 4 0 - 1 2 ( a ) i s t i e d t o t h e 1970 f e d e r a l 
d e c e n n i a l 
c e n s u s , t h e p l a i n t i f f s have n o t d e m o n s t r a t e d 
t h a t 
A c t No. 2004-382 v i o l a t e s § 106. 
S e c t i o n 106 r e q u i r e s 
t h a t 
n o t i c e o f a s p e c i a l , p r i v a t e , 
o r 
l o c a l 
l a w "be p u b l i s h e d 
a t l e a s t once a week f o r f o u r 
c o n s e c u t i v e 
weeks i n some n e w s p a p e r p u b l i s h e d " 
i n t h e c o u n t y 
where t h e " t h i n g t o be a f f e c t e d " i s s i t u a t e d . A r t . 
I V , § 106, 
A l a . 
C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 . 
The " n o t i c e 
s h a l l 
s t a t e t h e s u b s t a n c e o f 
t h e 
p r o p o s e d l a w . " A r t . 
I V , § 106, A l a . C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 . T h i s 
C o u r t 
h a s 
r e c o g n i z e d 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
a t t r i b u t e s 
o f t h e 
" s u b s t a n c e " o f a l a w f o r 
p u r p o s e s o f p u b l i c 
n o t i c e : 
" ' ( 1 ) 
The 
" s u b s t a n c e " 
means 
an 
i n t e l l i g i b l e 
a b s t r a c t 
o r s y n o p s i s o f [a b i l l ' s ] 
m a t e r i a l 
and 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
e l e m e n t s ; 
(2) t h e 
s u b s t a n c e 
may 
be 
s u f f i c i e n t l y 
s t a t e d 
w i t h o u t 
s t a t i n g 
t h e d e t a i l s 
s u b s i d i a r y 
t o 
t h e 
s t a t e d 
e l e m e n t s ; 
(3) 
t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e may s h a p e t h e d e t a i l s o f p r o p o s e d 
l o c a l 
l e g i s l a t i o n 
b y a m e n d i n g 
b i l l s 
when 
p r e s e n t e d f o r 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d p a s s a g e ; and (4) t h e s u b s t a n c e o f 
t h e p r o p o s e d a c t as a d v e r t i s e d c a n n o t be m a t e r i a l l y 
c h a n g e d o r c o n t r a d i c t e d . ' " 
P h a l e n v . B i r m i n g h a m 
R a c i n g Comm'n, 481 So. 2d 1108, 1119 
( A l a . 1985) ( q u o t i n g B i r m i n g h a m - J e f f e r s o n C i v i c C t r . A u t h . v . 
H o a d l e y , 
414 So. 2d 8 
95, 
8 
99 ( A l a . 
1 
982 
) ) . 
F u r t h e r , 
t h i s 
C o u r t h a s e m p h a s i z e d 
t h a t " [ t ] h e p u b l i c n o t i c e n e e d n o t s t a t e 
a l l t h e d e t a i l s o f t h e b i l l , and n e e d n o t s e t f o r t h t h e 
b i l l 
13 
1071500 
i n 
i t s e n t i r e t y . " 
P h a l e n , 
481 
So. 
2d 
a t 
1119. 
The 
" n o t i c e 
n e e d o n l y 
s t a t e an 
i n t e l l i g i b l e 
a b s t r a c t o r 
s y n o p s i s 
o f 
t h e 
b i l l ' s 
m a t e r i a l 
and 
s u b s t a n t i v e 
e l e m e n t s , 
l e a v i n g 
t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
f r e e 
t o 
s h a p e 
and 
i m p r o v e 
t h e 
d e t a i l s 
o f 
t h e 
p r o p o s e d 
b i l l 
d u r i n g t h e 
l e g i s l a t i v e p r o c e s s . " 
I d . 
T h i s C o u r t has n o t e d t h a t d e t a i l s i n a p u b l i c n o t i c e 
may 
be 
more 
b u r d e n s o m e 
t h a n 
b e n e f i c i a l 
by 
o b s e r v i n g 
t h a t 
"a 
d e t a i l e d a d v e r t i s e m e n t 
w i l l be more s t r i c t l y 
s c r u t i n i z e d t h a n 
a g e n e r a l a d v e r t i s e m e n t . 
L o g i c a l l y , t h e more d e t a i l s 
i n c l u d e d 
i n 
t h e 
a d v e r t i s e m e n t 
t h e 
more 
l i k e l y 
i t i s 
t h a t 
m a t e r i a l 
v a r i a n c e s 
w i l l be f o u n d upon c o m p a r i s o n o f t h e a d v e r t i s e d 
b i l l 
w i t h t h e e n a c t e d l a w . " 
D e p u t y S h e r i f f s Law E n f o r c e m e n t A s s ' n  
o f 
M o b i l e 
C o u n t y v. 
M o b i l e 
C o u n t y , 
590 
So. 
2d 
239, 
242 
n.3 
( A l a . 
1991) 
( c i t a t i o n s o m i t t e d ) . 
F u r t h e r , 
" [ i ] f 
t h e 
d e t a i l s 
a r e 
n o t 
p u b l i s h e d 
b u t 
o n l y 
t h e 
g e n e r a l 
n a t u r e 
o f 
i t s s u b s t a n t i v e 
f e a t u r e s , 
t h e 
p u b l i c 
i s p u t upon i n q u i r y as 
t o s u c h 
d e t a i l s , 
and 
b o u n d 
by 
a 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
i n f o r m 
i t s e l f , 
c o n t i n u i n g 
t h r o u g h 
s u c h 
c h a n g e s 
and 
amendments 
as 
may 
s t a y 
w i t h i n 
s u c h s u b s t a n t i v e 
f e a t u r e s 
as p u b l i s h e d . 
B u t 
i f 
t h e 
p u b l i c a t i o n g i v e s 
d e t a i l s , 
t h e 
p u b l i c n e e d 
n o t 
p u r s u e 
t h e 
i n q u i r y f u r t h e r i n r e s p e c t 
t o 
s u c h 
d e t a i l s ; f o r t h e i n f o r m a t i o n i s c o m p l e t e , and 
i t has 
t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t t o assume t h a t s u c h 
d e t a i l s 
w i l l 
n o t 
be 
m a t e r i a l l y 
c h a n g e d 
t h r o u g h o u t 
t h e 
j o u r n e y 
o f 
t h e 
b i l l 
t o 
i t s 
f i n a l 
p a s s a g e 
and 
a p p r o v a l . " 
14 
1071500 
S t a t e ex r e l . W i l k i n s v. A l l e n , 219 
A l a . 590, 
593, 
123 
So. 
36, 
38 
( 1 9 2 9 ) . 
The 
p u b l i s h e d 
l e g a l n o t i c e o f A c t No. 
2004-382 s t a t e d 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
"STATE OF ALABAMA 
COUNTY OF MOBILE 
" N o t i c e 
i s h e r e b y 
g i v e n 
t h a t 
a 
b i l l 
as 
d e s c r i b e d 
b e l o w 
w i l l 
be 
i n t r o d u c e d 
by 
SENATOR V I V I A N 
DAVIS 
FIGURES i n t h e u p c o m i n g 2004 R e g u l a r S e s s i o n , 
o r 
any 
s p e c i a l 
s e s s i o n 
i n 
2004, 
o f 
t h e 
L e g i s l a t u r e 
o f 
A l a b a m a 
and 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
f o r 
i t s 
p a s s a g e 
and 
e n a c t m e n t w i l l be made: 
"A B I L L TO 
BE 
ENTITLED AN 
ACT 
"SYNOPSIS: 
R e l a t i n g 
t o C l a s s 
2 M u n i c i p a l i t i e s ; t o 
p r o v i d e 
p r o c e d u r e s 
f o r any 
C l a s s 
2 m u n i c i p a l i t y 
t o 
e s t a b l i s h one 
o r more s e l f - h e l p b u s i n e s s i m p r o v e m e n t 
d i s t r i c t s 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s ; 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
f o r t h e management, o p e r a t i o n , 
p o w e r s , 
and 
d u t i e s 
o f 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t s , 
i n c l u d i n g t h e 
c r e a t i o n 
o f 
n o n p r o f i t 
c o r p o r a t i o n s 
t o manage t h e 
d i s t r i c t s ; 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
c e r t a i n r e q u i r e d p r o v i s i o n s 
i n t h e 
a r t i c l e s 
o f 
i n c o r p o r a t i o n 
o f 
d i s t r i c t 
management 
c o r p o r a t i o n s ; 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
f o r 
d i s s o l u t i o n 
o f 
a 
d i s t r i c t and w i t h d r a w a l o f a n o n p r o f i t 
c o r p o r a t i o n ' s 
d e s i g n a t i o n 
as 
a 
d i s t r i c t 
management 
c o r p o r a t i o n ; 
and 
t o p r o v i d e 
t h a t d i s t r i c t management 
c o r p o r a t i o n s 
s h a l l h a v e no power o f e m i n e n t d o m a i n . " 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
a r g u e t h a t 
t h i s n o t i c e was 
"so 
l a c k i n g i n 
d e t a i l 
as n o t 
t o be 
an 
' i n t e l l i g i b l e 
a b s t r a c t 
o r s y n o p s i s 
o f 
t h e 
b i l l ' s 
m a t e r i a l 
e l e m e n t s . ' " 
D e p u t y 
S h e r i f f s 
Law 
15 
1071500 
E n f o r c e m e n t A s s ' n o f M o b i l e C o u n t y , 590 So. 2d a t 242 
( q u o t i n g 
P h a l e n , 
481 So. 2d a t 
1 1 1 9 ) . 
S t a t e d 
a n o t h e r 
way, t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s a r g u e t h a t t h e p u b l i c n o t i c e m a t e r i a l l y v a r i e d f r o m 
A c t No. 2004-382 
i t s e l f b e c a u s e t h e n o t i c e f a i l e d t o r e f e r e n c e 
s p e c i f i c p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e A c t , s u c h as t h e p r o v i s i o n t h a t an 
o r d i n a n c e 
a d o p t e d b y a C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t y t o c r e a t e a BID 
s h a l l 
p r o v i d e 
t h a t 
a l l c o s t s o f t h e s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s 
p r o v i d e d w i t h i n t h e BID s h a l l be f i n a n c e d t h r o u g h t h e l e v y o f 
a s p e c i a l a s s e s s m e n t upon p r o p e r t y owners i n t h e B I D . 
As we 
n o t e d i n t h e s t a n d a r d 
o f r e v i e w , 
" a c t s 
o f t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e a r e p r e s u m e d c o n s t i t u t i o n a l . " 
M o r t o n , 955 So. 2d 
a t 1017. A l a b a m a l a w i s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t "we a r e o b l i g e d 
t o 
c o n s t r u e 
s t a t u t e s 
so 
as 
t o 
a v o i d 
c o n f l i c t s 
w i t h 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
p r o v i s i o n s i f p o s s i b l e . " C i t y o f Homewood v .  
B h a r a t , L L C , 931 So. 2d 697, 701 ( A l a . 
2005) 
( c i t i n g James v .  
Todd, 267 A l a . 495, 505, 103 So. 2d 19, 27 ( 1 9 5 7 ) ) . 
See a l s o  
A l a b a m a S t a t e Fed'n o f L a b o r v. M c A d o r y , 246 A l a . 1, 9, 18 So. 
2d 810, 815 (1944) 
( " [ I ] n p a s s i n g upon t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y 
o f 
a 
l e g i s l a t i v e 
a c t , t h e c o u r t s 
u n i f o r m l y 
a p p r o a c h t h e 
q u e s t i o n w i t h e v e r y p r e s u m p t i o n a n d i n t e n d m e n t i n f a v o r o f i t s 
v a l i d i t y , 
and s e e k t o s u s t a i n 
r a t h e r 
t h a n 
s t r i k e 
down t h e 
16 
1071500 
e n a c t m e n t 
o f 
a 
c o o r d i n a t e 
b r a n c h 
o f 
t h e 
g o v e r n m e n t . " ) . 
M o r e o v e r , 
" [ t ] h e c l e a r t r e n d 
o f o u r modern c a s e s seems t o 
be 
t o u p h o l d 
l e g i s l a t i o n , 
r a t h e r t h a n 
s t r i k e 
i t down b e c a u s e 
o f 
a 
f i n d i n g t h a t 
t h e r e 
was 
a 
m a t e r i a l 
v a r i a n c e " 
b e t w e e n 
t h e 
e n a c t e d 
l a w 
and 
t h e 
a d v e r t i s e d 
b i l l . 
D e p u t y 
S h e r i f f s 
Law 
 
E n f o r c e m e n t A s s ' n o f M o b i l e C o u n t y , 590 
So. 
2d 
a t 
242. 
A p p l y i n g 
t h e s e 
s t a n d a r d s , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e 
p u b l i c 
n o t i c e 
o f A c t 
No. 
2004-382 s u f f i c i e n t l y 
s t a t e d t h e 
s u b s t a n c e 
o f t h a t A c t 
and, 
t h e r e f o r e , 
met 
t h e 
n o t i c e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f 
§ 
106. 
The 
s u b s t a n c e o f A c t 
No. 
2004-382 i s t h e 
a u t h o r i z a t i o n 
f o r C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t i e s t o c r e a t e B I D s , i f a 
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e 
g r o u p o f owners o f 
r e a l p r o p e r t y 
w i t h i n a g e o g r a p h i c a r e a 
so 
r e q u e s t , 
and 
t h e 
e s t a b l i s h m e n t 
o f 
t h e 
e x c l u s i v e 
p r o c e d u r e s 
C l a s s 
2 m u n i c i p a l i t i e s must f o l l o w t o c r e a t e 
s u c h 
d i s t r i c t s . 
See A c t No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 , § 3. 
The 
p r o v i s i o n s o f A c t No. 
2004-382 
t h a t 
d e t a i l 
t h e 
p r o c e d u r e s 
a 
m u n i c i p a l i t y 
must 
f o l l o w 
t o 
c r e a t e 
a BID 
a r e 
n o t 
r e q u i r e d 
t o be 
i n c l u d e d 
i n t h e 
p u b l i c 
n o t i c e b e c a u s e s u c h p r o v i s i o n s a r e s u b s i d i a r y t o t h e 
s u b s t a n c e 
o f 
t h e 
A c t . 
We 
e m p h a s i z e t h a t A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
i t s e l f 
d o e s 
n o t 
l e v y 
a 
s p e c i a l a s s e s s m e n t upon owners 
o f 
r e a l 
p r o p e r t y 
w i t h i n t h e BID. 
R a t h e r , A c t No. 2004-382 p r o v i d e s 
t h a t o w n e r s 
17 
1071500 
o f 
r e a l p r o p e r t y 
who 
d e s i r e t o c r e a t e 
a BID 
may 
s u b m i t a 
BID 
p l a n 
t o 
t h e 
g o v e r n i n g b o d y 
o f 
a 
C l a s s 
2 
m u n i c i p a l i t y 
and 
f u r t h e r p r o v i d e s 
t h a t t h e p l a n s h a l l i n c l u d e a " d e s c r i p t i o n o f 
t h e method w h i c h 
w i l l 
be u s e d t o d e t e r m i n e t h e amount o f 
t h e 
s p e c i a l 
a s s e s s m e n t 
t o 
be 
l e v i e d . " 
§ 
5. 
A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
f u r t h e r 
d e t a i l s t h a t 
a f t e r a m u n i c i p a l i t y has 
h e l d 
a 
p u b l i c 
h e a r i n g 
on 
a BID 
p l a n , 
t h e 
m u n i c i p a l i t y 
may 
t h e n 
a d o p t 
an 
o r d i n a n c e 
c r e a t i n g 
a 
BID 
and 
t h a t 
s u c h 
an 
o r d i n a n c e 
s h a l l 
p r o v i d e 
t h a t 
a l l c o s t s 
o f t h e 
s u p p l e m e n t a l s e r v i c e s 
p r o v i d e d 
i n 
t h e 
BID 
s h a l l 
be 
f i n a n c e d 
t h r o u g h 
t h e 
l e v y 
by 
t h e 
m u n i c i p a l i t y o f a s p e c i a l a s s e s s m e n t . 
I n s h o r t , we c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e s u b s t a n c e o f A c t No. 
2004¬
382 
was 
s u f f i c i e n t l y a r t i c u l a t e d i n t h e p u b l i c n o t i c e 
w i t h o u t 
i n c l u d i n g 
s p e c i f i c 
d e t a i l s 
o f 
t h e 
p r o c e d u r e s 
a 
C l a s s 
2 
m u n i c i p a l i t y must f o l l o w t o c r e a t e , 
f u n d , and 
o p e r a t e a 
BID. 
As 
s t a t e d a b o v e , " [ t ] h e p u b l i c n o t i c e n e e d n o t 
s t a t e a l l t h e 
d e t a i l s 
o f 
t h e 
b i l l , 
and 
n e e d n o t 
s e t 
f o r t h t h e 
b i l l 
i n i t s 
e n t i r e t y . " 
P h a l e n , 
481 
So. 
2d 
a t 1119. 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
h a v e 
n o t met 
t h e i r b u r d e n o f d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t t h e p a s s a g e o f 
A c t 
No. 
2004-382 v i o l a t e d A r t . 
IV, 
§ 106, 
A l a . C o n s t . 
1 9 0 1 .
6 
6We 
p r e t e r m i t 
any 
d i s c u s s i o n o f w h e t h e r t h e p u b l i c 
n o t i c e 
o f 
O r d i n a n c e 
no. 
50-39-2005 
v i o l a t e d 
§ 
106 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
18 
1071500 
2. 
A r t i c l e IV, 
§ 45, A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n o f 
1901 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s n e x t a r g u e t h a t A c t No. 
2004-382 
v i o l a t e s 
t h e 
s i n g l e - s u b j e c t 
r e q u i r e m e n t 
o f 
A r t . 
IV, 
§ 
45, 
o f 
t h e 
A l a b a m a 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
o f 
1901. 
S e c t i o n 
45 
r e q u i r e s 
t h a t 
" [ e ] a c h l a w s h a l l c o n t a i n b u t one 
s u b j e c t , w h i c h s h a l l c l e a r l y 
be 
e x p r e s s e d 
i n i t s t i t l e 
" 
T h i s 
C o u r t has 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
"[§] 
45 r e q u i r e s o n l y t h a t t h e 
t i t l e n o t be 
'so m i s l e a d i n g 
and 
u n c e r t a i n 
t h a t 
t h e 
a v e r a g e 
l e g i s l a t o r o r p e r s o n 
r e a d i n g 
t h e 
same w o u l d n o t be i n f o r m e d o f t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e e n a c t m e n t . ' " 
S m i t h v. 
I n d u s t r i a l Dev. 
Bd. 
o f A n d a l u s i a , 
455 
So. 
2d 839, 
841 
( A l a . 
1984) 
( q u o t i n g A l a b a m a E d u c . A s s ' n v. G r a y s o n , 382 
So. 
2d 
501, 
505 
( A l a . 1 9 8 0 ) ) . 
T h i s C o u r t has 
f u r t h e r 
a d v i s e d : 
" ' S e c t i o n 
45 
... 
s h o u l d 
be 
l i b e r a l l y 
and 
r e a s o n a b l y 
c o n s t r u e d 
t o 
p e r m i t 
t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
t o 
o p e r a t e 
w i t h o u t 
undue 
s t r i c t u r e s 
on 
i t s 
p r e r o g a t i v e s . 
I t s h o u l d 
n o t be 
e x a c t i n g l y 
e n f o r c e d 
t o 
c r i p p l e 
l e g i s l a t i o n . 
I t s p u r p o s e 
i s t o 
p r e v e n t 
f r a u d and 
s u r p r i s e on t h e l e g i s l a t u r e by 
p r o h i b i t i n g 
m e a s u r e s i n a b i l l 
n o t 
r e f l e c t e d 
i n i t s t i t l e . 
T h i s 
p u r p o s e 
i s 
s e r v e d 
so 
l o n g 
as 
t h e 
s u b j e c t 
m a t t e r 
i n c l u d e d i n t h e 
b i l l 
i s germane t o , c o g n a t e w i t h , 
o r 
c o m p l e m e n t a r y t o t h e 
i d e a e x p r e s s e d i n t h e 
t i t l e . ' " 
B o a r d o f W a t e r & Sewer Comm'rs o f 
C i t y 
o f M o b i l e 
v. 
H u n t e r , 
956 
So. 
2d 
403, 
415 
( A l a . 2006) 
( q u o t i n g 
O p i n i o n 
o f 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
d i d n o t 
a s s e r t s u c h a c l a i m i n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
19 
1071500 
J u s t i c e s No. 
307, 
449 
So. 
2d 
237, 
238 
( A l a . 1984) 
( c i t a t i o n s 
o m i t t e d ) ) . 
The 
t i t l e 
o f A c t 
No. 
2004-382 p r o v i d e s 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
" R e l a t i n g t o C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t i e s ; t o 
p r o v i d e 
p r o c e d u r e s f o r any 
C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t y t o e s t a b l i s h 
one 
o r more s e l f - h e l p b u s i n e s s i m p r o v e m e n t 
d i s t r i c t s 
t o p r o v i d e 
s u p p l e m e n t a l s e r v i c e s ; t o p r o v i d e 
f o r 
t h e 
management, 
o p e r a t i o n , 
p o w e r s , 
and 
d u t i e s 
o f 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t s , 
i n c l u d i n g 
t h e 
c r e a t i o n 
o f 
n o n p r o f i t 
c o r p o r a t i o n s 
t o manage 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t s ; 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
c e r t a i n 
r e q u i r e d 
p r o v i s i o n s 
i n 
t h e 
a r t i c l e s 
o f 
i n c o r p o r a t i o n 
o f 
d i s t r i c t management 
c o r p o r a t i o n s ; 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
f o r 
d i s s o l u t i o n 
o f 
a 
d i s t r i c t 
and 
w i t h d r a w a l o f a n o n p r o f i t 
c o r p o r a t i o n ' s 
d e s i g n a t i o n 
as a d i s t r i c t management c o r p o r a t i o n ; 
and 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
t h a t 
d i s t r i c t management c o r p o r a t i o n s 
s h a l l h a v e 
no 
power o f e m i n e n t d o m a i n . " 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
c o n t e n d t h a t t h e 
t i t l e 
i m p e r m i s s i b l y 
f a i l e d 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
n o t i c e 
o f 
t h e 
p o s s i b i l i t y 
o f 
s p e c i a l 
a s s e s s m e n t s 
a g a i n s t 
p r o p e r t y 
owners t o f u n d t h e 
BID 
and, 
g e n e r a l l y , 
t h a t 
t h e 
t i t l e 
i s so u n c l e a r 
t h a t 
an a v e r a g e p e r s o n o r 
l e g i s l a t o r 
c o u l d 
n o t u n d e r s t a n d t h e 
e f f e c t o f A c t 
No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 . 
A g a i n 
a p p l y i n g 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
r e v i e w 
f o r 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l c h a l l e n g e s 
as w e l l as i t s l i b e r a l 
c o n s t r u c t i o n 
o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f § 45, 
we 
c o n c l u d e t h a t 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
h a v e 
n o t 
d e m o n s t r a t e d 
t h a t 
A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
v i o l a t e s 
t h e 
s i n g l e - s u b j e c t r e q u i r e m e n t o f § 45. 
A c t No. 
2004-382 has 
b u t 
one 
b r o a d s u b j e c t — e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e 
e x c l u s i v e p r o c e d u r e s 
f o r 
20 
1071500 
C l a s s 
2 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s t o a d o p t 
o r d i n a n c e s 
t o 
c r e a t e 
and 
m a i n t a i n B I D s — a n d t h e t i t l e 
r e f l e c t s 
t h i s 
s u b j e c t . 
E a c h o f 
t h e 21 s e c t i o n s o f A c t No. 2004-382 
r e l a t e t o t h i s 
s u b j e c t , 
and i t i s u n r e a s o n a b l e t o r e q u i r e t h a t t h e t i t l e 
d e t a i l 
e a c h 
s e c t i o n .
7 
3. The M u n i c i p a l P u b l i c Improvement A c t , A l a . 
Code 1975, § 11¬ 
48-1 e t s e q . , and t h e A l a b a m a Improvement 
D i s t r i c t A c t , 
A l a . 
 
Code 1975, § 11-99A-1 e t s e q . 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
n e x t 
a r g u e 
t h a t 
A c t No. 
2004-382 
and 
O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 a r e u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l b e c a u s e , 
t h e y 
s a y , 
t h e y 
c o n f l i c t 
w i t h 
v a r i o u s 
s e c t i o n s 
o f t h e 
M u n i c i p a l 
P u b l i c Improvement A c t , A l a . 
Code 1975, § 11-48-1 e t s e q . , and 
t h e A l a b a m a Improvement 
D i s t r i c t A c t , A l a . Code 1975, § 11-
99A-1 
e t s e q . 
T h i s 
a r g u m e n t 
i s b a s e d 
on two 
r a t i o n a l e s . 
F i r s t , 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
c o n t e n d 
t h a t 
A c t No. 
2004-382 
and 
O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 s h o u l d be t r e a t e d as l o c a l l a w s 
t h a t 
a r e 
subsumed by 
g e n e r a l 
a c t s 
s u c h as t h e M u n i c i p a l 
P u b l i c 
Improvement A c t and t h e A l a b a m a Improvement D i s t r i c t A c t . See 
A r t . 
I V , § 105, A l a . C o n s t . 1901 ("No 
... l o c a l l a w ... 
s h a l l 
be e n a c t e d i n any c a s e w h i c h i s p r o v i d e d f o r by a g e n e r a l l a w 
7 B e c a u s e 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
A c t No. 
2004-382 
d o e s 
n o t 
v i o l a t e 
§ 45, we 
p r e t e r m i t 
any 
d i s c u s s i o n 
o f w h e t h e r t h e 
c o d i f i c a t i o n 
o f 
A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
c u r e d 
any 
l e g i s l a t i v e 
i n f i r m i t i e s . 
See, e . g . , Densmore, 813 So. 2d a t 850. 
21 
1071500 
. . . . " ) . 
See a l s o § 1 1 - 4 5 - 1 , A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 .
8 
T h i s 
a r g u m e n t 
f a i l s 
b e c a u s e , 
as 
d i s c u s s e d 
a b o v e , A c t No. 
2004-382 
i s a 
g e n e r a l l a w r e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r i t a p p l i e d o n l y t o t h e C i t y 
o f M o b i l e when i t was 
e n a c t e d . 
S e c o n d , t h e p l a i n t i f f s c o n t e n d t h a t A c t No. 2004-382 and 
O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 
c o n f l i c t 
w i t h t h e M u n i c i p a l 
P u b l i c 
Improvement A c t and t h e A l a b a m a Improvement D i s t r i c t A c t , a n d , 
t h e r e f o r e , 
v i o l a t e A r t . I V , § 89, A l a . C o n s t . 1901. 
S e c t i o n 
89 p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
" [ t ] h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
s h a l l n o t have power t o 
a u t h o r i z e 
any 
m u n i c i p a l 
c o r p o r a t i o n 
t o 
p a s s 
any 
l a w s 
i n c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
t h e 
g e n e r a l 
l a w s 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e . " 
T h i s 
a r g u m e n t a l s o f a i l s b e c a u s e A c t No. 2004-382 and O r d i n a n c e no. 
50-39-2005 a r e s e p a r a t e and d i s t i n c t f r o m t h e M u n i c i p a l 
P u b l i c 
Improvement A c t and t h e A l a b a m a Improvement D i s t r i c t A c t . A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
p r o v i d e s 
t h e 
" e x c l u s i v e 
p r o c e d u r e b y w h i c h 
a 
8 S e c t i o n 1 1 - 4 5 - 1 , A l a . Code 1975, p r o v i d e s 
as f o l l o w s : 
" M u n i c i p a l 
c o r p o r a t i o n s 
may 
f r o m t i m e t o t i m e 
a d o p t 
o r d i n a n c e s 
and 
r e s o l u t i o n s n o t 
i n c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h t h e l a w s o f t h e s t a t e t o c a r r y 
i n t o 
e f f e c t o r 
d i s c h a r g e 
t h e p o w e r s 
and 
d u t i e s 
c o n f e r r e d 
by t h e 
a p p l i c a b l e 
p r o v i s i o n s 
o f t h i s 
t i t l e 
and any 
o t h e r 
a p p l i c a b l e p r o v i s i o n s o f l a w and t o p r o v i d e 
f o r t h e 
s a f e t y , p r e s e r v e t h e h e a l t h , p r o m o t e t h e p r o s p e r i t y , 
and 
i m p r o v e 
t h e 
m o r a l s , 
o r d e r , 
c o m f o r t , 
and 
c o n v e n i e n c e o f t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h e m u n i c i p a l i t y , 
and may 
e n f o r c e 
o b e d i e n c e t o s u c h 
o r d i n a n c e s . " 
22 
1071500 
C l a s s 
2 
m u n i c i p a l i t y may 
c r e a t e 
and 
m a i n t a i n 
a s e l f - h e l p 
b u s i n e s s 
i m p r o v e m e n t 
d i s t r i c t " 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
a 
r a n g e 
o f 
s u p p l e m e n t a l s e r v i c e s f o c u s e d on p r o m o t i n g e c o n o m i c g r o w t h i n  
B I D s . 
§ 3. 
However, 
t h e A l a b a m a Improvement 
D i s t r i c t 
A c t 
p r o v i d e s 
p r o c e d u r e s by w h i c h any m u n i c i p a l i t y o r c o u n t y 
may 
c r e a t e i m p r o v e m e n t d i s t r i c t s f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f b e n e f i t i n g t h e 
g e n e r a l 
p u b l i c , and t h e M u n i c i p a l 
Improvement 
D i s t r i c t 
A c t 
c o n c e r n s o n l y m u n i c i p a l i m p r o v e m e n t s t o s t r e e t s , s e w e r s , w a t e r 
and gas m a i n s , and s e r v i c e 
c o n n e c t i o n s . 
M o r e o v e r , t h e p l a i n t i f f s h a v e n o t c i t e d any a u t h o r i t y i n 
s u p p o r t 
o f 
t h e 
a r g u m e n t 
t h a t 
t h e 
M u n i c i p a l 
I m p r o v e m e n t 
D i s t r i c t 
A c t and t h e A l a b a m a 
Improvement 
D i s t r i c t 
A c t a r e 
c o n t r o l l i n g o v e r o t h e r g e n e r a l l a w s s u c h as A c t No. 2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 . 
I t 
i s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b u r d e n t o r e f e r 
t h i s 
C o u r t t o 
l e g a l 
a u t h o r i t y t h a t s u p p o r t s i t s a r g u m e n t . 
R u l e 2 8 ( a ) ( 1 0 ) , A l a . R. 
App. P., 
r e q u i r e s 
t h a t t h e a r g u m e n t i n an a p p e l l a n t ' s 
b r i e f 
i n c l u d e 
" c i t a t i o n s 
t o 
t h e 
c a s e s , 
s t a t u t e s , 
[and] 
o t h e r 
a u t h o r i t i e s 
... 
r e l i e d 
o n . " 
C o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h R u l e 28, " [ w ] e 
h a v e s t a t e d t h a t i t i s n o t t h e f u n c t i o n o f t h i s c o u r t t o do a 
p a r t y ' s l e g a l r e s e a r c h . " 
S p r a d l i n v . S p r a d l i n , 601 So. 2d 76, 
78 ( A l a . 
1992) 
( c i t i n g H e n d e r s o n v. A l a b a m a A & M U n i v . , 
483 
23 
1071500 
So. 2d 392, 392 
( A l a . 1 9 8 6 ) ) . 
"When an a p p e l l a n t 
f a i l s 
t o 
c i t e any a u t h o r i t y f o r an a r g u m e n t on a p a r t i c u l a r i s s u e , 
t h i s 
C o u r t may 
a f f i r m t h e j u d g m e n t as t o t h a t 
i s s u e , f o r i t i s 
n e i t h e r 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
d u t y 
n o r i t s f u n c t i o n 
t o p e r f o r m 
an 
a p p e l l a n t ' s 
l e g a l r e s e a r c h . " 
C i t y o f B i r m i n g h a m v. 
B u s i n e s s 
 
R e a l t y I n v . Co., 722 So. 2d 747, 752 
( A l a . 1 9 9 8 ) . 
B e c a u s e t h e p l a i n t i f f s h a v e c i t e d no l e g a l a u t h o r i t y t h a t 
d e m o n s t r a t e s 
t h a t A c t No. 2004-382 
and O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39¬
2005 
i m p e r m i s s i b l y 
c o n f l i c t 
w i t h 
t h e 
M u n i c i p a l 
P u b l i c 
Improvement A c t and t h e A l a b a m a Improvement 
D i s t r i c t A c t , we 
w i l l 
n o t 
r e v e r s e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
as 
t o 
t h e s e 
i s s u e s . 
4. C o m p e t i t i v e - B i d 
Laws 
The p l a i n t i f f s f u r t h e r a r g u e t h a t t h e " b a s e - l i n e - s e r v i c e s 
a g r e e m e n t " e n t e r e d 
i n t o by t h e d e f e n d a n t s t h e C i t y o f 
M o b i l e 
and 
t h e Downtown M o b i l e 
D i s t r i c t Management 
C o r p o r a t i o n 
i s 
v o i d 
b e c a u s e , 
t h e y 
a r g u e , 
i t 
v i o l a t e s 
c o m p e t i t i v e - b i d 
p r o v i s i o n s s e t o u t i n §§ 3 9 - 2 - 2 , 4 1 - 1 6 - 5 0 , and 11-99A-12, A l a . 
Code 1 9 7 5 .
9 
9 S e c t i o n 3 9 - 2 - 2 ( a ) , A l a . 
Code 1975, p r o v i d e s , i n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
" B e f o r e 
e n t e r i n g i n t o any c o n t r a c t f o r a p u b l i c w o r k s 
i n v o l v i n g 
an 
amount 
i n e x c e s s 
o f 
f i f t y 
t h o u s a n d 
d o l l a r s 
( $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ) , t h e a w a r d i n g a u t h o r i t y s h a l l 
a d v e r t i s e f o r s e a l e d 
24 
1071500 
b i d s . " 
S e c t i o n 
4 1 - 1 6 - 5 0 , 
A l a . Code 
1975, p r o v i d e s , 
i n 
p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
" [ A ] l l 
e x p e n d i t u r e o f f u n d s o f w h a t e v e r n a t u r e f o r 
l a b o r , 
s e r v i c e s , 
w o r k , 
o r f o r t h e p u r c h a s e 
o f 
m a t e r i a l s , 
e q u i p m e n t , 
s u p p l i e s , 
o r o t h e r 
p e r s o n a l 
p r o p e r t y 
i n v o l v i n g 
f i f t e e n 
t h o u s a n d 
d o l l a r s 
($15,000) 
o r more, 
a n d t h e l e a s e 
o f 
m a t e r i a l s , 
e q u i p m e n t , 
s u p p l i e s , 
o r 
o t h e r 
p e r s o n a l 
p r o p e r t y 
where 
t h e 
l e s s e e 
i s , o r 
becomes 
l e g a l l y 
a n d 
c o n t r a c t u a l l y , b o u n d u n d e r t h e t e r m s o f t h e l e a s e , 
t o p a y a t o t a l amount o f f i f t e e n 
t h o u s a n d 
d o l l a r s 
($15,000) o r more, made b y o r on b e h a l f o f any s t a t e 
t r a d e 
s c h o o l , 
s t a t e 
j u n i o r 
c o l l e g e , 
s t a t e 
c o l l e g e , 
o r 
u n i v e r s i t y u n d e r t h e s u p e r v i s i o n a n d c o n t r o l o f 
t h e 
S t a t e 
B o a r d o f E d u c a t i o n , t h e c i t y a n d c o u n t y 
b o a r d s 
o f 
e d u c a t i o n , 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
b o a r d s 
o f 
e d u c a t i o n 
o f 
i n d e p e n d e n t 
s c h o o l 
d i s t r i c t s , 
t h e 
c o u n t y 
c o m m i s s i o n s , 
t h e g o v e r n i n g 
b o d i e s 
o f t h e 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s 
o f t h e 
s t a t e , 
a n d t h e 
g o v e r n i n g 
b o a r d s 
o f 
i n s t r u m e n t a l i t i e s 
o f 
c o u n t i e s 
a n d 
m u n i c i p a l i t i e s , 
i n c l u d i n g w a t e r w o r k s b o a r d s , 
s e w e r 
b o a r d s , g a s b o a r d s , a n d o t h e r 
l i k e 
u t i l i t y 
b o a r d s 
and 
c o m m i s s i o n s , 
e x c e p t 
as h e r e i n a f t e r 
p r o v i d e d , 
s h a l l be made u n d e r 
c o n t r a c t u a l 
a g r e e m e n t 
e n t e r e d 
i n t o by f r e e a n d open c o m p e t i t i v e 
b i d d i n g , on s e a l e d 
b i d s , t o t h e l o w e s t r e s p o n s i b l e 
b i d d e r . " 
S e c t i o n 
11-99A-12, A l a . 
Code 1975, p r o v i d e s , 
i n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
"Upon t h e m a k i n g o f t h e p r e l i m i n a r y 
a s s e s s m e n t , 
t h e 
b o a r d 
s h a l l 
p r e p a r e 
c o n t r a c t s 
a n d b i d 
s p e c i f i c a t i o n s , a n d s h a l l b i d 
o r o t h e r w i s e 
c o n t r a c t 
f o r t h e a c q u i s i t i o n , c o n s t r u c t i o n , o r 
i n s t a l l a t i o n 
o f 
a l l t h e 
i m p r o v e m e n t s 
as 
s p e c i f i e d 
i n t h e 
p e t i t i o n . I n g e n e r a l , 
a l l c o n t r a c t s 
s h a l l be b i d i n 
a c c o r d a n c e w i t h 
a p p l i c a b l e 
s t a t e l a w . However, i f 
an i m p r o v e m e n t o r a p o r t i o n o f an i m p r o v e m e n t i s 
t o 
be 
p a i d f o r 
e x c l u s i v e l y w i t h f u n d s p r o v i d e d 
t h r o u g h 
a s s e s s m e n t s u n d e r 
t h i s 
c h a p t e r o r b y t h e owners o r 
25 
1071500 
The 
t e r m 
" b a s e - l i n e - s e r v i c e s 
a g r e e m e n t " 
i s 
d e f i n e d 
i n 
O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 as " t h e c o n t r a c t b e t w e e n t h e C i t y and 
t h e [Downtown M o b i l e D i s t r i c t Management] C o r p o r a t i o n 
s e t t i n g 
o u t 
t h e s e r v i c e s 
t h a t 
w i l l be p r o v i d e d 
i n t h e [BID] by t h e 
C i t y and by t h e C o r p o r a t i o n . " 
S e c t i o n 7 o f A c t No. 
2004-382 
a u t h o r i z e s 
t h e e x e c u t i o n 
o f s u c h 
an a g r e e m e n t 
b e t w e e n 
any 
C l a s s 2 m u n i c i p a l i t y and t h e d i s t r i c t - m a n a g e m e n t 
c o r p o r a t i o n , 
w h i c h i s d e f i n e d i n A c t No. 2004-382 as " [ a ] n e n t i t y 
c r e a t e d 
by i n c o r p o r a t i o n u n d e r t h e A l a b a m a N o n p r o f i t 
C o r p o r a t i o n A c t , 
C h a p t e r 3A, o f T i t l e 10, Code o f A l a b a m a 1975, and 
d e s i g n a t e d 
by 
o r d i n a n c e 
by t h e 
i n c o r p o r a t e d 
m u n i c i p a l i t y t o manage a 
s e l f - h e l p b u s i n e s s i m p r o v e m e n t 
d i s t r i c t . " 
§ 2 ( 1 ) . 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
c o n t e n d 
t h a t 
t h e 
b a s e - l i n e - s e r v i c e s 
a g r e e m e n t v i o l a t e s t h e s e s t a t u t e s b e c a u s e i t "was n o t p u t o u t 
f o r 
c o m p e t i t i v e 
b i d . " 
P l a i n t i f f s ' 
b r i e f , 
pp. 
65-66. 
The 
on b e h a l f o f t h e o w n e r s , and n o t f r o m any r e v e n u e s , 
t a x e s , 
o r f u n d s o f t h e a p p o i n t i n g 
g o v e r n m e n t , t h e 
c o n t r a c t i n g 
f o r t h e 
a c q u i s i t i o n , 
c o n s t r u c t i o n , 
o r 
i n s t a l l a t i o n o f t h e i m p r o v e m e n t o r p o r t i o n 
t h e r e o f 
s h a l l 
be 
exempt 
f r o m 
a l l l a w s 
r e l a t i n g 
t o 
t h e 
a d v e r t i s i n g and a w a r d o f c o n s t r u c t i o n 
c o n t r a c t s 
and 
p u r c h a s e 
c o n t r a c t s , 
i n c l u d i n g , w i t h o u t 
l i m i t a t i o n , 
T i t l e 
39 and A r t i c l e 
3 o f C h a p t e r 16 o f T i t l e 
41, 
and s h a l l be p e r f o r m e d i n t h e s o l e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e 
b o a r d . A l l c o n t r a c t s 
and b i d s 
s h a l l be 
c o n t i n g e n t 
upon 
t h e 
i s s u a n c e 
o f 
a 
f i n a l 
a s s e s s m e n t by 
t h e 
a p p o i n t i n g 
g o v e r n m e n t as h e r e i n a f t e r 
p r o v i d e d . " 
26 
1071500 
p l a i n t i f f s make t h e b a r e - b o n e s 
c o n t e n t i o n 
t h a t 
§§ 
4 1 - 1 6 - 5 0 , 
11-99A-12, and 3 9 - 2 - 2 , A l a . Code 1975, 
a p p l y t o A c t No. 
2004¬
382 
and O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 b e c a u s e t h e Downtown 
M o b i l e 
D i s t r i c t Management C o r p o r a t i o n 
r e c e i v e s f u n d s f r o m t h e 
S t a t e 
o f 
A l a b a m a , 
M o b i l e 
C o u n t y , 
and 
t h e 
C i t y 
o f 
M o b i l e . 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s p r o v i d e no s u p p o r t 
f o r t h i s c o n t e n t i o n , and A c t 
No. 
2004-382 
e x p r e s s l y 
p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
" a l l 
c o s t s 
o f 
t h e 
 
s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s 
p r o v i d e d 
i n 
a 
s e l f - h e l p 
b u s i n e s s 
i m p r o v e m e n t d i s t r i c t 
s h a l l be f i n a n c e d t h r o u g h t h e l e v y by 
t h e 
m u n i c i p a l i t y 
o f 
a 
s p e c i a l 
a s s e s s m e n t 
on 
t h e 
o w n e r s 
o f 
t h e 
nonexempt r e a l p r o p e r t y 
l o c a t e d w i t h i n t h e g e o g r a p h i c a l 
a r e a 
o f t h e 
d i s t r i c t . " 
§ 8 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
have 
n o t 
p r e s e n t e d 
any 
a u t h o r i t y 
o r 
a r g u m e n t , as r e q u i r e d by R u l e 28, 
A l a . R. 
App. 
P., 
as t o 
why 
t h e c o m p e t i t i v e - b i d p r o v i s i o n s s e t o u t 
a t A l a . Code 1975, 
§§ 
4 1 - 1 6 - 5 0 , 11-99A-12, and 3 9 - 2 - 2 , s h o u l d t r u m p t h e 
" e x c l u s i v e 
p r o c e d u r e " f o r t h e c r e a t i o n and m a i n t e n a n c e o f B I D s s e t o u t i n 
A c t 
No. 
2 0 0 4 - 3 8 2 . 
We 
a g a i n 
e m p h a s i z e 
t h a t 
" i t i s n o t 
t h e 
f u n c t i o n o f t h i s c o u r t t o do a p a r t y ' s l e g a l r e s e a r c h " and 
"we 
c a n n o t 
c r e a t e 
l e g a l 
a r g u m e n t s 
f o r 
a 
p a r t y 
b a s e d 
on 
u n d e l i n e a t e d 
g e n e r a l p r o p o s i t i o n s u n s u p p o r t e d by a u t h o r i t y o r 
27 
1071500 
a r g u m e n t . " 
S p r a d l i n , 
601 
So. 
2d 
a t 78. 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s have n o t d e m o n s t r a t e d 
t h a t t h e 
b a s e - l i n e - s e r v i c e s 
a g r e e m e n t v i o l a t e s A l a . Code 1975, § 3 9 - 2 - 2 , § 4 1 - 1 6 - 5 0 , o r § 
11-99A-12. 
5. 
A r t i c l e 
I V , § 223, A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n o f 
1901 
L a s t l y , 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
a r g u e 
t h a t 
O r d i n a n c e no. 
50-39¬
2005 v i o l a t e s A r t i c l e 
X I I , § 223, o f t h e A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n 
o f 1901. 
S e c t i o n 223 p r o v i d e s 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
"No 
c i t y , town, o r o t h e r m u n i c i p a l i t y s h a l l make 
any a s s e s s m e n t 
f o r t h e c o s t 
o f s i d e w a l k s 
o r 
s t r e e t 
p a v i n g , 
o r f o r t h e c o s t 
o f t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n 
o f 
any 
s e w e r s 
a g a i n s t 
p r o p e r t y 
a b u t t i n g 
on s u c h s t r e e t o r 
s i d e w a l k 
so p a v e d , 
o r 
d r a i n e d 
by 
s u c h 
s e w e r s , 
i n 
e x c e s s o f t h e 
i n c r e a s e d 
v a l u e 
o f s u c h p r o p e r t y 
by 
r e a s o n 
o f 
t h e 
s p e c i a l b e n e f i t s 
d e r i v e d 
f r o m 
s u c h 
i m p r o v e m e n t s . " 
The 
p l a i n t i f f s 
a r g u e 
t h a t 
O r d i n a n c e 
no. 
50-39-2005 
i s i n 
" f a t a l 
c o n f l i c t 
w i t h 
... § 223 i n t h a t t h e o r d i n a n c e 
p r o v i d e s 
f o r a p e r p e t u a l , p e r m a n e n t a n n u a l m u n i c i p a l a s s e s s m e n t w i t h o u t 
any c o r r e l a t i o n t o any f i n a l a s s e s s m e n t , o r c o r r e l a t i o n t o any 
i n c r e a s e 
o f 
p r o p e r t y 
v a l u e 
a t t r i b u t a b l e t o 
t h e 
m u n i c i p a l 
a s s e s s m e n t . " 
P l a i n t i f f s ' 
b r i e f , 
p. 
68. 
However, 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
have 
a g a i n 
f a i l e d 
t o 
c i t e 
any 
a u t h o r i t y 
s h o w i n g 
t h a t 
§ 223 
i s a p p l i c a b l e 
t o O r d i n a n c e 
no. 
5 0 - 3 9 - 2 0 0 5 , 
as 
r e q u i r e d by R u l e 28, A l a . R. App. 
P. 
28 
1071500 
By i t s 
e x p r e s s 
t e r m s , § 223 r e l a t e s t o a s s e s s m e n t s f o r 
t h e 
c o s t s 
o f s i d e w a l k s , 
s t r e e t p a v i n g , 
and s e w e r s , 
w h i l e 
O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 " i m p o s e [ s ] a s p e c i a l a s s e s s m e n t upon 
t h e o w n e r s o f t h e r e a l p r o p e r t y 
l o c a t e d w i t h i n t h e [BID] t o 
f i n a n c e t h e c o s t o f t h e s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s t h a t 
w i l l 
be 
p r o v i d e d b y t h e D i s t r i c t Management C o r p o r a t i o n i n 
t h e [ B I D ] . " 
The o r d i n a n c e b r o a d l y d e f i n e s t h e t e r m " s u p p l e m e n t a l 
s e r v i c e s " 
as " [ t ] h e p r o g r a m s and s e r v i c e s t o be p r o v i d e d and 
m a i n t a i n e d 
by t h e C o r p o r a t i o n w i t h i n t h e [ B I D ] . " 
A l t h o u g h 
t h o s e s e r v i c e s 
may i n c l u d e m a i n t e n a n c e o f s i d e w a l k s , s t r e e t s , and s e w e r s , t h e 
s p e c i a l 
a s s e s s m e n t 
a l s o 
f u n d s 
s a f e t y - p r e v e n t i o n 
p r o g r a m s , 
l i t t e r 
c o l l e c t i o n , 
and t h e 
r e c r u i t m e n t 
and 
r e t e n t i o n o f 
b u s i n e s s e s 
i n t h e d i s t r i c t . 
A g a i n 
a p p l y i n g o u r s t a n d a r d o f 
r e v i e w o f a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l c h a l l e n g e t o a l e g i s l a t i v e a c t , we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f s 
have n o t met 
t h e i r 
b u r d e n o f 
d e m o n s t r a t i n g 
t h a t O r d i n a n c e no. 50-39-2005 v i o l a t e s 
A r t i c l e 
X I I , § 223, A l a . 
C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , t h e summary j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r 
o f t h e Downtown M o b i l e 
D i s t r i c t Management C o r p o r a t i o n , t h e 
C i t y o f M o b i l e , and t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a i s a f f i r m e d . 
29 
1071500 
AFFIRMED. 
Cobb, C . J . , and L y o n s , W o o d a l l , 
S t u a r t , 
B o l i n , and Shaw, 
J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
P a r k e r and M u r d o c k , J J . , d i s s e n t . 
30 
1071500 
MURDOCK, J u s t i c e 
( d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
As t h e m a i n o p i n i o n 
n o t e s , A r t . I V , § 106, A l a . 
C o n s t . 
1901, 
r e q u i r e s 
t h a t a n y n o t i c e t o w h i c h i t 
i s a p p l i c a b l e 
" s h a l l s t a t e t h e s u b s t a n c e o f t h e 
p r o p o s e d l a w . " 
So. 3d 
a t 
. 
As t h e m a i n 
o p i n i o n 
f u r t h e r 
n o t e s , 
t h i s 
C o u r t h a s 
r e c o g n i z e d 
t h a t a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e " s u b s t a n c e " o f a p r o p o s e d 
l a w 
i n c l u d e s " ' " a n i n t e l l i g i b l e 
a b s t r a c t o r s y n o p s i s 
o f [a 
b i l l ' s ] 
m a t e r i a l a n d s u b s t a n t i a l e l e m e n t s 
So. 
3d 
a t 
( q u o t i n g 
P h a l e n 
v . B i r m i n g h a m R a c i n g Comm'n, 481 
So. 
2d 
1108, 
1119 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 5 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
i n 
t u r n 
B i r m i n g h a m - J e f f e r s o n C i v i c C t r . A u t h . v . H o a d l e y , 414 So. 
2d 
895, 899 ( A l a . 1 9 8 2 ) ) . 
B e c a u s e I b e l i e v e t h a t t h e p r o v i s i o n s 
o f A c t No. 2004-382 
a u t h o r i z i n g t h e C i t y o f M o b i l e t o l e v y 
s p e c i a l a s s e s s m e n t s upon p r o p e r t y o w n e r s t o f u n d t h e 
s e l f - h e l p 
b u s i n e s s i m p r o v e m e n t d i s t r i c t a t i s s u e was a m a t e r i a l e l e m e n t 
o f t h a t A c t , a n d 
b e c a u s e t h e 
a d v e r t i s e m e n t o f 
A c t 
No. 2004-382 
c o n t a i n e d 
no 
r e f e r e n c e 
t o 
t h a t 
e l e m e n t , 
I 
r e s p e c t f u l l y 
d i s s e n t . 
P a r k e r , 
J . , 
c o n c u r s . 
31