Mayor Gives Updates On Proposed Funding Measure For TCS Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa city officials continue to mull over the details of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which could see additional money doled out to Tuscaloosa City Schools to improve coaching salaries.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

As Patch previously reported, Mayor Walt Maddox made the proposal in late August to initially give $500,000 to be split evenly among the three high school "clusters" consisting of Bryant High, Central High and Northridge High.

In his weekly "Mayor's Minute" on Friday, Maddox explained that the Athletic Excellence Fund would increase in amount each year through 2032 if approved as part of the 2023 budget — $525,000 (FY24); $540,750 (FY25); $556,873 (FY26); $573,682 (FY27); $590,892 (FY28); $608,619 (FY29); $626,877 (FY30); $645,684 (FY31); $665,054 (FY32).

Maddox spoke to his own upbringing by a family of educators in making his point, saying he was able to see from an early age the true difference that those working in education can have.

"This positive difference has always stayed with me, and has been a driving force for the special relationship between the City and the Tuscaloosa City Schools," he said. "Today, this relationship is backed by $6.3 million in annual discretionary funding. Now, we turn to [Tuscaloosa City Schools] again to help our young people by increasing programs to keep them positively engaged after school. Why? In Tuscaloosa, the highest amount of juvenile crime takes place between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m."

Maddox has been vocal about the role athletics plays in keeping young people involved in positive pursuits and just as outspoken about the need for success on the field for the city's three high schools.

Indeed, the three high schools in the city have a combined record of 1-7 over the first three weeks of the high school football season. The only win thus far in 2022 saw Central beat Bryant Friday night in a battle of TCS programs.

"In Alabama, high school athletics is solely funded with local dollars, which is why the city’s investment is key," Maddox said. "Increasing our schools’ ability to recruit and retain teachers who are also coaches is a win-win. For this reason, my fiscal year 2023 budget recommendation includes the creation of the Athletic Excellence Fund, which, through Elevate Tuscaloosa, adds annual funding for the improvement of high school and middle school athletics."

Maddox also said if the funding measure is adopted by the City Council as part of the budget, the funding could also be used to make improvements to TCS athletic facilities.

"I’m excited about the potential of this fund to help keep our children engaged, active and out of trouble after their school day ends each day," he said.

The main questions about the proposed Athletic Excellence Fund centered on how the Council would be able to measure its success and return on investment.

As Patch previously reported, District 4 Councilor Lee Busby questioned the end goal of the added funding by asking if the overall aim was to get more students involved in athletics, as opposed to more trophies in the trophy case.

"I think if we are talking about adding another half million dollars of taxpayer money into that to improve the athletic performance of the schools on the ground, is the logic that you attract more young people into winning games than you do to losing things?" Busby asked. "I think it's incumbent that we have some sort of performance criteria associated with [evaluating return on investment]."

Be sure to follow us in the coming weeks for additional coverage as city leaders work out the details of the 2023 budget.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com