County offices, departments, boards, and agencies shall be given preference in the tentative and final budget so that funding, payments, and appropriations to any other public body or agency, except as may be required by law, shall be reduced or eliminated as may be necessary in order that the needs of the county offices be first met. The chair shall promptly extend invitations to all county officers and the heads of all concerned county departments, boards, commissions, and agencies to ask questions with regard thereto and express an opinion on the tentative budget. (Act 79-466, p. 848, § 5.)
Alabama Legal Code