Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Prattville City Council unanimously voted in favor to support the Autauga County Board of Education, ACBOE, in their proposed local legislation regarding the Ad Valorem Tax Referendum Tuesday evening.
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.
ACBOE Chairman Billy Hollon, board member Tracye Strichik as well as Autauga County Schools Communications Coordinator Rebecca Thomas were in attendance on behalf of Superintendent Lyman Woodfin. Members of the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce were also present in showing their support of the tax referendum.
Hollon addressed the council thanking them for their consideration to publicly support the Ad Valorem tax referendum.
Autauga County only receives the required state minimum funding, ranking Autauga County Schools 128 out of 138 school systems in the state when totaling all funding through federal, state, and local dollars.
Superintendent Lymen Woodfin has stated in recent Tax Facts Presentations in the community 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.
In these previous presentations Woodfin has made the 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 has confirmed in the Tax Facts presentations that all exemptions that are currently in place would still be applied.
The proposed seven-mill increase would allow for flexibility beyond the mandated threshold, meaning that the additional funding would be providing a source of funding that can be used at the discretion of district leadership. Local dollars are typically how projects are funded, how local teacher units are provided and how bond dept is paid.
Other services that could be generated from the increase would be used to stabilize the system. 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create a performance-based employee incentive program to make the district competitive with others, renovate aging and outdated facilities as well as reduce debt.
“I support this tonight, and I will support this on Nov. 5. I’m voting my conscience because the world we live in today is very complex and technical. It takes a quality funded and educated workforce. Our public safety uses high-tech equipment on a daily basis, that takes a quality funded and educated workforce. Our health care professionals and so many others are saving lives daily. That takes a quality funded and educated workforce. So, I ask everyone to vote your conscience and vote for a quality funded, and educated workforce,” Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie said.
