Voters today are going to the polls in Tuscaloosa County to decide whether or not to pass a ten-mill property tax increase to benefit the Tuscaloosa County School System. It is usually only small-government conservatives who oppose tax increases to benefit schools, but this referendum has been very different. A broad coalition of opponents from across the political spectrum are urging Tuscaloosa County voters to vote “no” on this tax increase.
The single-issue ballot measure, on Valentine’s Day, includes one five-mill tax increase and a three-mill tax increase. Some tax increase opponents have suggested that the decision to schedule this referendum on Valentine’s Day was intentional as an attempt to decrease voter turnout.
The Tuscaloosa Farmers Federation opposes the tax increase and has funded “Vote No” signs that have appeared across the county. Farmers and timberland owners have a large portion of their net wealth tied up in land, so massive tax increases disproportionately impacts them. Farmers, like homeowners, have to pay property taxes whether they make any money that year or not.
Former Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon is asking voters to vote No on the tax increase; because he feels that Northport would be better served by forming its own city school system and that this tax increase will not do enough to benefit Northport families.
“I’m very passionate about Northport city schools,” Herndon said. “But as a Dad, a Granddad, a citizen of the great city of Northport, Northport’s never going to be the city it can be until it has its own school system.”
The Tuscaloosa NAACP is also calling for voters to vote No on the tax increase proposal over concerns above allegations of racism and censorship of Black history during Black History Month.
Lisa Young is the President of the Tuscaloosa Chapter of the NAACP. Young said that the NAACP believes the allegations that the students have made and are asking Tuscaloosa County voters to vote no.
“One of the requests of the students is that citizens in the county not support the tax referendum scheduled for tomorrow’s vote,” Young said Monday. “We are asking people to su[pport these students by going to the polls tomorrow and voting no. While we want quality education for all students in Alabama, we cannot trust that the funds received would be used to benefit all students equally.”
Superintendent Keri Johnson said that the tax increase will generate $150 million for the system over the next ten years.
The tax increase will apply to vehicle tags as well as homes, businesses, farms, and lands.
Johnson said that passing both tax increase measures on the ballot will fund a number of capital improvements as well as allow the system to reduce class sizes, improve mental health services for students, allow the system to offer dual enrollment scholarships, hire more school resource officers, and improve security.
This does not apply to persons whose children as zoned to Tuscaloosa City schools, as the City of Tuscaloosa has its own school system. Residents of Tuscaloosa city pay 21 mills in property taxes. Tuscaloosa County residents currently pay 10 mills – the minimum that the state will allow.
Polls will stay open until 7:00 p.m.
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