The Legislature says listed Alabama governmental entities may use lease, lease-purchase, and similar financing to acquire eligible property and may enter related contracts in their discretion.
It is hereby found and declared by the Legislature of Alabama that it is in the public interest that the state, political subdivisions, agencies, boards, commissions, and departments thereof, the various counties of the state, the various municipal corporations within the state, county boards of education, city boards of education, instrumentalities of any of the foregoing, and public corporations arising under or organized pursuant to any statute of the state shall have the flexibility to finance the acquisition, installation, equipping, and/or improvement of any eligible property that such governmental entity otherwise is legally authorized to acquire through the use of lease, lease-purchase, and/or installment-purchase financing. It is the intention of the Legislature by passage of this chapter that wherever, either by express grant or by implication, a governmental entity has the power and authority to acquire any eligible property by purchase, lease, lease-purchase, bailment, or otherwise, such governmental entity shall have the power and authority to acquire such eligible property through the use of any lease, lease-purchase, lease with option to purchase, installment-sale agreement or arrangement, or similar agreement or arrangement authorized by this chapter. Furthermore, it is the intention of the Legislature by passage of this chapter to authorize each such governmental entity, in its discretion, to enter into lease, lease-purchase, and/or installment-purchase contracts and arrangements, on such terms and containing such conditions, stipulations, and requirements as such governmental entity shall believe necessary in order to obtain such lease, lease-purchase, and/or installment-sale financing or as may be mandated by this chapter. This chapter shall be construed liberally in conformity with the intention stated in the foregoing provisions of this section.