Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their monthly Chamber Luncheon at the Catfish House in Millbrook, with guest speaker Lyman Woodfin, the Superintendent of Autauga County Schools.
The luncheon was sponsored by Prattville Baptist Hospital where Chief Executive Officer, Eric Morgan not only introduced Woodfin, but also thanked the chamber, the Autauga County Board of Education, ACBOE, as well as the community that Prattville Baptist Hospital serves.
Woodfin’s presentation centered around an ad valorem school tax referendum increase designed to add an additional $7 million annually to the district’s local funds.
Autauga County residents will soon have the opportunity to vote on the referendum where the proposed constitutional amendment will appear on the November 5, 2024 general election ballot.
During the superintendent’s presentation, Woodfin broke down the why and the how for attendee’s of the Prattville Luncheon and stated currently Autauga County only receives the required state minimum, ranking Autauga County 128 out of 138 school systems in the state when totaling all funding through federal, state, and local dollars.
Woodfin even made a comparison to his own house, stating that his last tax appraisal was around $400,000. With the increase, it would be around $70 per $100,000 and stated if this were to pass, he would be paying $280 more.
Woodfin also stated that all exemptions that are currently in place would still apply.
Woodfin confirmed that if the proposed Ad Valorem tax increase passes, it would bump Autauga County Schools to 114 out of 138 school systems in the state.
“Times are tough, and I’m not minimizing that. But what we tried to do was take the previous referendum that failed, we tried to listen to our constituents, we tried to listen to our business leaders, farmers, local legislature and find something that everyone can get behind. That’s how we arrived at a 7 mill increase,” Woodfin said.
The proposed seven-mill increase would allow for flexibility beyond the mandated threshold, Woodfin explained. Providing a source of funding that can be used at the discretion of district leadership. For many school districts, the local dollars are how projects are funded, local teacher units are provided, and bond debt is paid.
Other services that could be generated from the increase would be used to stabilize the system, Woodfin stated. Which could include hiring additional teaching units and support staff to bring down class sizes, purchase and hire additional security enhancements, create a performance-based employee incentive program to make the district competitive with others, renovate aging and outdated facilities as well as reduce debt.
With the expiration of the ESSER or “Covid” money that was allocated, at a previous ACBOE board meeting, ACBOE confirmed that every penny of the covid dollars have been allocated and spent.
In attendance was Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie, Autauga County Commission Jay Thompson, Autauga County Board of Education members Kim Crockett and Tracye Strichik as well as a full room of local businesses and community members.
