The Attorney General has issued an opinion on the ability of schools to use public resources to support and educate about Amendment 1,

Gov. Bob Riley and school chiefs are within their legal rights to use public funds and facilities in promoting the Sept. 9 tax referendum, according to an opinion issued Thursday by the attorney general’s office.

The opinion said universities routinely use public funds to hire lobbyists to educate lawmakers about their funding needs, and this is comparable activity.

“This office sees no legal distinction between that activity and spending funds to educate voters in the context of a constitutional amendment,” the opinion read.

It would be illegal, the opinion stated, if public officials tried to intimidate public employees into voting a certain way.

Of course, some people may not realize that colleges have lobbyists, but nevertheless, this argument that public resources should not be used to educate the public on a constitutional amendment was always bogus and I’m glad to see another opinion making that point clear.

Sphere: Related Content