BAY MINETTE, Alabama — Baldwin County voters rejected Amendment 1 Tuesday, contrary to statewide voting results, which indicate a 2-1 approval of the measure to support Medicaid, courts, prisons and other non-educational budgets.

According to unofficial results, Baldwin voters cast 18,428 votes, with 11,026, or 59.8 percent, voting no.

Gov. Robert Bentley said Wednesday he was pleased with the statewide approval, which allows a yearly transfer of $148.8 million of the Alabama Trust Fund savings account to the state’s general fund over the next three years.

“I want to thank the voters for approving the state’s plan to temporarily borrow funds from our savings account to help get us through these difficult economic times without raising taxes,” Bentley stated. “Once again, I pledge to the people of this state that the funds transferred to help support critical state services will be paid back.”

Bentley said the measure was a “loan” which will be repaid, according to a press release from his office.

“In the first 20 months of this administration, we have passed laws and taken executive action that will save the state $675 million annually,” Bentley said in a prepared statement.

“We will continue our efforts to increase efficiency and reduce government spending. My goal is to identify a billion dollars in savings by the end of my first term, and that goal is well within our reach.”