What To Know About TCSS Property Tax Vote In February

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Voters in parts of Tuscaloosa County will take to the polls on Feb. 14 to cast ballots regarding a property tax increase, the revenue of which will go toward supporting the Tuscaloosa County School System (TCSS) as it looks to address overcrowding and aging facilities.

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Local sentiments have been difficult to determine, with the last attempt at a property tax increase in 1996 failing by a 2-to-1 margin — at a time when Tuscaloosa County was much smaller in terms of population.

Just since 1990, as TCSS Superintendent Keri Johnson pointed out to Patch, Tuscaloosa County's population has grown by 75,000 residents.

"That has brought many more students to our schools, and we need resources to provide more opportunities for more students," she told Patch on Wednesday.

Tuscaloosa Patch has reported extensively about the issues plaguing TCSS schools north of the Black Warrior River (see the end of this story for our most important coverage), with aging elementary schools like Collins-Riverside, Matthews and Crestmont, each in dire need of large-scale improvements or completely new facilities.

On the opposite side of the river, Holt High School, albeit positioned in a fairly new school, has seen its athletic facilities fall into noticeable disrepair — well behind the amenities enjoyed at some of its contemporary schools. In other places, like Brookwood, plans for a new football stadium have also been paused due to the current economic climate.

Johnson has been a vocal proponent of the property tax increase after urging the Tuscaloosa County Commission last November to put the measure on a special election ballot as soon as possible.

The aforementioned needs, and others such as rapid growth and overcrowding in the Lake View and Northside school zones, prompted Johnson to lobby the Commission to let the voters decide.

Indeed, Johnson told Patch that if the measure is passed, every TCSS high school attendance zone will receive facilities improvements tailored to the needs in each community.

"I believe this would provide an excellent return on investment for Tuscaloosa County citizens," she said. "If voters approve the 8 mills for local school funding, students in all TCSS schools would benefit from more school security resource officers, pre-k for all students, smaller class sizes, more electives for high school students, dual enrollment scholarships, art and music for all elementary students, and a centrally-located performing arts facility."

Offering little in the way of public pushback, the County Commission opted against taking weeks to mull the issue and unanimously voted that day to set a referendum vote on the property tax increase.

This week, this Tuscaloosa County Tax Assessor's Office explained the specifics of the measure, saying that the present millage rate for the two major county school districts is 4.5 mills. With Constitutional Amendment 778 currently in place its half a mill will be removed if the vote for the 8 mill increase is successful, which will ultimately result in a net increase of 7.5 mills.

The most important point raised by the Tax Assessor's Office, though, is that taxpayers allowed to vote in this special election must be registered voters living in either of the two county school property tax districts.

More easily explained, those able to cast ballots will be registered voters living in Tuscaloosa County other than those in the City of Tuscaloosa, which has its own city school system.

The Tax Assessor's Office said if the measure is approved and once the new taxes are levied before the end of February, property taxes would be collected at the higher rate beginning Oct. 1, 2023 — the start of the new fiscal year.

Here's a breakdown of how the property tax would impact homeowners in the two county school districts.

It must also be noted that the sudden public interest in school funding comes amid sustained rampant inflation and an ongoing push by the City of Northport to inquire into the possibility of breaking from TCSS and forming its own city school system.

Indeed, the City of Northport has spent well in excess of $100,000 on feasibilities studies over the last couple of years — two commissioned during the current Council term, along with a separate study to probe the options for the school buildings and property that would come under the city's control if it decided to form its own school system.

Patch has inquired for months about the most recent feasibility study that was initially expected to be presented to the public sometime in the fall.

However, the abrupt resignation of the most vocal proponent of a Northport city school system — Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon — at the end of the last calendar year has been cited as the reason for the delay in its release.

The calamity that ensued inside City Hall saw officials scramble to understand and execute the line of succession, resulting in Patch being told that the study would not be released until the open District 3 council seat is filled after Councilman John Hinton ascended to the city's highest office.

Still, a property tax increase would, in theory, give Northport elected officials all they have argued for other than more autonomy in policy decisions by way of having their own city school board.

This includes more money for capital projects, namely new schools within the Northport city limits and even more money for athletics and extracurriculars.

With that in mind, the current Northport City Council and mayor have not offered anything in the way of public opposition or support to the property tax increase.

Despite the back-and-forth between the City of Northport and TCSS in the past, Johnson urged impacted voters to consider what the increased funding would mean for local schools, while also saying TCSS intends to be vocal to voters in the downhill run to the special election.

"Over this next month leading up to the election date," she said. "TCSS will share information with parents and other stakeholders about specific ways the increased millage rate would benefit students."

Here's a look at Tuscaloosa Patch's past in-depth coverage of the issue:

• Officials Weigh In Ahead Of Study For Northport School System (June 4, 2021)
• Takeaways From Northport City School System Feasibility Study (June 7, 2021)
• Council Eyes Next Steps In Starting Northport City School System (Dec. 9, 2021)
• Column: The Separatists & The School System (Dec. 11, 2021)
• What's At Stake As Northport Looks To Split From TCSS (Dec. 16, 2021)
• Northport Approves Facilities Study For City School System (Feb. 7, 2022)
• Northport To Consider $100K For City School System Due Diligence (March 3, 2022)
• Could Chelsea Vote Signal Future For A Northport School System? (July 25, 2022)
• County Approves Special Election For Vote On Property Tax Increase (Nov. 6, 2022)
• Competing Narratives Set Tone For TCSS Property Tax Referendum (Nov. 20, 2022)

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