Before he heads off to the next legislative session, State Rep. Cam Ward wants your thoughts.

He wants to know if you pay too much in state taxes.

He wants to know if the surplus in the education budget should be used to cut taxes across the board or to give teachers a raise. Should extra money be used to build new schools or be stashed away for a rainy day?

He wants to know the most important issue facing the state legislature this year.

Is it constitutional reform? Tax cuts? Tougher crime laws?

Starting Friday, Ward&8217;s offering a simple new way for citizens in District 49 to reach out to their state representative before any votes are cast in Montgomery.

By clicking a link on his website, www.camward.com, users can access an online legislative survey. Ward (R-Alabaster) says he&8217;ll use the results to get a better idea of exactly what his constituents want.

&8220;It gives people here an opportunity to participate more,&8221; Ward said. &8220;This is my way to try to build a bridge between what I&8217;m doing in Montgomery and what they&8217;re doing here.&8221;

Ward said the surveys, which will also be sent through direct mail, provide another option for people who might not be comfortable sharing their thoughts face-to-face or over the phone.

But the feedback might also give him a leg up in the political dealings that occur during a legislative session.

&8220;You get a lot of pressure from different groups who represent a lot of people across the state,&8221; Ward said. &8220;What&8217;s being said or what&8217;s being pushed by a trade association or different kind of organization in Montgomery is really kind of contradictory with what you have back home.&8221;

Ward said the information gathered from local surveys could give him &8220;a lot of ammunition&8221; for talks with lobbyists and special interest groups who often profess to know the desires of those in his district.

Even though he hopes to be armed with the wishes of his constituents, Ward said there might still be occassions where he&8217;ll have to make an unpopular vote in Montgomery.

&8220;Your job as a representative is still to come up with the right decision,&8221; he said.

Ward is currently the only member of Shelby County&8217;s legislative delegation to feature an online survey, but he said he&8217;s already discussed the idea with Reps. Mary Sue McClurkin, Mike Hill and others.

The practice of polling citizens through the internet may be new to the state legislature, but Ward says its an idea already put to use by some members of Congress.

The state legislature meets for organizational purposes Jan. 9 and reconvenes March 6 to begin the regular session. &8220;You get a lot of pressure from different groups who represent a lot of people across the state,&8221; Ward said. &8220;What&8217;s being said or what&8217;s being pushed by a trade association or different kind of organization in Montgomery is really kind of contradictory with what you have back home.&8221;

Ward said the information gathered from local surveys could give him &8220;a lot of ammunition&8221; for talks with lobbyists and special interest groups who often profess to know the desires of those in his district.

Even though he hopes to be armed with the wishes of his constituents, Ward said there might still be occassions where he&8217;ll have to make an unpopular vote in Montgomery.

&8220;Your job as a representative is still to come up with the right decision,&8221; he said.

Ward is currently the only member of Shelby County&8217;s legislative delegation to feature an online survey, but he said he&8217;s already discussed the idea with Reps. Mary Sue McClurkin, Mike Hill and others.

The practice of polling citizens through the internet may be new to the state legislature, but Ward says its an idea already put to use by some members of Congress.

The state legislature meets for organizational purposes Jan. 9 and reconvenes March 6 to begin the regular session