Fairhope, Alabama
Updated to include video of the vote (below)
MORE TAX REFERENDUMS COULD FOLLOW
By a 5-2 vote the Baldwin County School Board approved a resolution creating seven special tax districts where the communities involved may choose to enact extra taxes for their school feeder patterns -- by voter referendum.
Before the vote, only two existed.
Before this vote, JaNay Dawson was appointed to replace Norm Moore, who had resigned.
Members Cox and Myrick argued against the resolution because they thought it may hinder renewing of the expiring penny tax and could encourage breakaway school systems; but others thought the opposite: it would prevent breakaways and help renew the penny tax because that is used to operate and staff possible new facilities.
Cox and Myrick also called it not fair and equitable to their less wealthy districts -- but others countered voters in those districts chose to vote down recent tax renewal proposals and it was not fair to the other (more affluent) districts not to have the option of enacting special taxes on their own to address their needs.
Fairhope representative Christenberry: "Some areas are going to always vote no (tax renewals) ... and other areas will suffer. This allows us another option to do it ... ."
The new zones roughly follow existing school board districts but are not numbered with the same designations.
Orange Beach/Gulf Shores and Fairhope feeder patterns have discussed special tax districts: it was one of the options mentioned in a recent education study commissioned by the city's Educational Advisory Committee (by Akrobos Consulting Group).
The money raised could be used for new school construction or any other purpose stated in the referendum before the voters of the district.
The beach cities need $65 million to relieve overcrowding with a new high school, according to a Orange Beach councilman who attended this meeting.
Akrobos is expected to make a presentation of its findings at a Fairhope city council meeting later this month.
The new Fairhope feeder pattern special tax district is shown in green below:
Updated to include video of the vote (below)
 |
| June 16, 2016 Board of Education meeting. |
MORE TAX REFERENDUMS COULD FOLLOW
By a 5-2 vote the Baldwin County School Board approved a resolution creating seven special tax districts where the communities involved may choose to enact extra taxes for their school feeder patterns -- by voter referendum.
Before the vote, only two existed.
Before this vote, JaNay Dawson was appointed to replace Norm Moore, who had resigned.
Members Cox and Myrick argued against the resolution because they thought it may hinder renewing of the expiring penny tax and could encourage breakaway school systems; but others thought the opposite: it would prevent breakaways and help renew the penny tax because that is used to operate and staff possible new facilities.
Cox and Myrick also called it not fair and equitable to their less wealthy districts -- but others countered voters in those districts chose to vote down recent tax renewal proposals and it was not fair to the other (more affluent) districts not to have the option of enacting special taxes on their own to address their needs.
Fairhope representative Christenberry: "Some areas are going to always vote no (tax renewals) ... and other areas will suffer. This allows us another option to do it ... ."
The new zones roughly follow existing school board districts but are not numbered with the same designations.
Orange Beach/Gulf Shores and Fairhope feeder patterns have discussed special tax districts: it was one of the options mentioned in a recent education study commissioned by the city's Educational Advisory Committee (by Akrobos Consulting Group).
The money raised could be used for new school construction or any other purpose stated in the referendum before the voters of the district.
The beach cities need $65 million to relieve overcrowding with a new high school, according to a Orange Beach councilman who attended this meeting.
Akrobos is expected to make a presentation of its findings at a Fairhope city council meeting later this month.
The new Fairhope feeder pattern special tax district is shown in green below:
Comments
Not likely though.