Odd wording could lead to big stink about biosolids

When does yes mean no and no mean yes?

June 1 when voters have the opportunity to decide if they want to allow the use of biosolids as fertilizer in Franklin County.

The amendment reads, “Relating to Franklin County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide that treated human sewage biosolids may not be applied to land as a fertilizer or soil amendment.”

In a bizarre twist, voters must vote “yes” to ban biosolids or vote “no” to approve their use.

Instead of keeping things simple by asking “Do you want to allow people in the county to use human waste as fertilizer,” some crafty legislator got creative.

Now voters who are opposed to the biosolids have to worry people might be duped into passing this when they really intended to ban it.

Most people would probably read the human sewage applied as fertilizer and think “I don’t want that in my neighborhood and vote no without paying close attention to the wording. If the people of Franklin County want biosolids, that is fine, but they should be able to vote on the issue with a clearly worded amendment.