EAC Plans For Tax Referendum

Fairhope, Alabama

Update: The date for the referendum has been changed to Sept. 17.

Burkle at far left

During its May meeting, the city's Educational Advisory Committee got advice from Terry Burkle of the Baldwin County Education Coalition about how to go about organizing a campaign in support of the 3 mill Special Tax District referendum to be held September 23rd.

Burkle said her organization could not get involved directly, but advised forming a Political Action Committee as a first step to raise funds for the campaign effort.

Chairman Ken Cole said the EAC cannot get directly involved either since it is a city committee, but individual members could as private citizens or as part of an "outside group" to "spearhead" the effort using social media and other traditional means (neighborhood and school meetings, advertising, etc.).

The group then discussed who the opposition may be and possible questions they may bring up in opposition; the long term of the tax (30 years at $1.8 million/yr.) was one mentioned.

The local branch of the Common Sense Campaign (Tea Party) organization was mentioned as the likely primary opposition, due to its long history of opposing school tax increases.

(The County Commission still needs to vote to authorize the September 23rd referendum.)












Comments

Anonymous said…
As a local homeowner I will tell you to look for revenue from a different source. And your tired argument does not hold water anymore. I send my children to a private school due to your many liberal agendas.
Anonymous said…
Mr. Cole has no educational or government experience. Why is he the head of this committee? I will always support public education with more taxes. I will not support this effort because it is thinly disguised to lead Fairhope to establish their own schools. Why would we trust them with educating our children? No thank you.
Anonymous said…
As of today, our special needs child aged out of the so called school program. These people really need to look at something to offer the young adults that can no longer go to school, but still needs some basic day to day curriculum. Many of these children don't fit into to the programs like the "Exceptional Foundation" or there is a waiting list of 3000 on the ARC program. Not everyone that lives here is one of the "beautiful" children of Fairhope and surrounding areas. How about doing something for them?
Anonymous said…
It is such a small amount but will go a long way to help the kids. I am voting yes!
Anonymous said…
Read my lips. “NO NEW TAXES”.
Anonymous said…
I don't agree with anything that these people are selling. It appears to be, again, a push to tax us even more while sending our tax dollars to their pet projects. I say NO to any new taxes until the City Council can transparently reveal where our dollars go. Vote NO!
Anonymous said…
I don't understand why the Fairhope taxpayers donate $350,000 every year to the airport which doesn't seem to deliver anything back to the city. Until I figure this out, I will not support another penny in taxes. I also refuse to vote for any new tax that has a 30 year term. I am new to Fairhope but I sent my kids to private schools and never expected my neighbors to support my children's education.
Anonymous said…
Please vote yes when the time comes.
Anonymous said…
Last year we were not allowed to vote on Fairhope's way of governing our area. We were told our home, with a Fairhope address, was not in Fairhope "proper". Of course now our home is in the map for more school funds. Stay out of our pocket if we can't vote on Fairhope issues.
Anonymous said…
The people deciding how the $ will be spent are the BOE not the mayor and city council. I understand some cannot afford any more expense but I am in favor of spending the $. If you can’t afford living here perhaps you should move to a less expensive home or move to a different area. We can’t be limited because you cannot pay. I would not oppose a higher homestead exemption and higher tax rate on non educational government if it were revenue neutral. That would let the McMansions pay s bit larger share and the less affluent pay a little smaller share.
Anonymous said…
So you want people who are in their 70s or 80s and on a fixed income to move out of their life long homes?