Property Tax Vote In Birmingham: What To Know

BIRMINGHAM, AL — School budget issues have been the source of heated debate throughout the state, and in a few weeks, the city of Birmingham will vote to renew property taxes that benefit Birmingham City Schools.

This 9.8 mill tax — which is not a new tax, but the same millage rate put in place for more than 30 years — generates about $32 million in revenue for Birmingham City Schools each year, school officials said. This $32 million comprises about 14 percent of the school system’s projected revenues each year.

Related Story: School Funding In Birmingham: Stretching Education Dollars

The tax is broken down into 3 parts:

• Public school use (expires September 30, 2021) - 4.2 mills
• Debt service of school bonds (expires September 30, 2021) - 2.8 mills
• Public school operation (expires September 30, 2021) - 2.8 mills

"We urge Birmingham residents to help us protect the progress we are making in Pre-K, technology, and job readiness by voting for this proposal on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. To be clear, this is not a yes/no vote, which is why we urge stakeholders to vote for continuing current funding. This is a vote for our children, for our community, and for our future," said Strategy and Communications Coordinator Craig Williams.

Voters can find their polling location here.