BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — Toll opponents want to put any future toll projects on ice.  Orange Beach businessman and former Congressional candidate Dean Young promised a state constitutional amendment two months ago. Now we’re seeing the text of the legislation.  If passed through Montgomery and then passed by voters in November–it blocks future toll projects unless local voters in affected counties vote in favor of a toll.  

“It gives the people a voice to say yes we want a toll or no we don’t want a toll, you’ve seen 79% of the people don’t want a toll so they will have a voice,” said Dean Young. Without vigilance on this issue, toll opponents worry tolls could pop up in other projects in the future. 

“We’ve seen Prichard try to start a toll road,” said Young. “This is a systemic problem all over the state of Alabama.”

Young says he sent the amendment to lawmakers, most via certified mail, with questionnaires asking if they’d sponsor the amendment and if they’d vote for it.  Young says the deadline for responses from legislators is October 18th.

“I think it will get traction, we have the Lt. Governor shepherding it through and I think it will have traction, I cannot imagine any politician in the state of Alabama going against 79 percent of the people, that’s why we have a deadline of the 18th too we want to know who’s in who’s out, who’s for tolls and who’s not for tolls,” said Young. It’s something Young talked about earlier this summer. You can read the amendment here. Young aims to get it on the ballot in November.