Legislature puts Autauga school tax vote on November ballot
PRATTVILLE − A tax to help fund schools in Autauga County will be on the Nov. 5 ballot during the general election.
Autauga County voters will decide the fate of a proposed 7 mill property tax increase, with the Autauga County Board of Education is backing the measure. The Legislature passed the bill calling for the election in the form of a proposed constitutional amendment. It will only be on the ballot in Autauga County.
“It is in the hands of our people,” Superintendent Lyman Woodfin said. “We are going to be transparent as to our needs as a system, and we are going to answer the questions the public has ahead of the election.”
If passed, the tax collection would begin Oct. 1, 2025.
A 7-mill increase would be an increase of about $70 a year in property tax payments on a home valued at $100,000. The money would be used for maintaining current facilities as well as preserving teacher units and a bonus system for teachers and staff, Woodfin said.
The system’s budget is now partially supported by state and federal funds that will dry up beginning next year. Without additional revenue, services could decrease, employees could be laid off and schools could be closed, Woodfin said.
More: Can it pass? Voters to decide fate of property tax increase for Autauga schools
The school system is the largest employer in the county, providing about 1,200 full- and part-time jobs. It has an enrollment of about 9,000 and operates 14 schools.
Data from the state revenue department shows Autauga is ranked 128 out of 138 school systems in the state when it comes to funding. Autauga has 7 mills on the books for property tax relating to local funding, but a 10-mill total to meet minimum state required funding.
The previous administration, both superintendent and board, backed a 15-mill property tax increase in 2022, with the money earmarked for capital projects. It was decided by voters in the city of Prattville and a small area outside of Prattville, with the money going to schools inside the city limits and Prattville High School, which is just outside the city limits.
The increase was defeated by about 70 votes out of about 11,000 cast.
This time, the tax would be county-wide.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Legislature puts Autauga school tax vote on November ballot
