Autauga County residents will vote this November on an ad valorem tax increase designed to add $7 million annually to the school district's local funds.
Act 2024-257 will be included as a constitutional amendment on the general election ballot scheduled for November 5. All registered voters in Autauga County will have the opportunity to vote yes or no for the amendment. Autauga County residents currently pay 10 mills of ad valorem school taxes, the required state minimum.
"This is a crucial moment for our district," said Lyman Woodfin, superintendent of Autauga County Schools. "We're okay right now. The true question is going to be when the 2025-2026 school year hits. We play the three shell game really well here. We are known for doing a lot with very little, but the reality is that there is coming a time when we will not be able to play it quickly enough to keep up with the expenses under the system's current model. Our model will change either way this vote goes, but the question is how does it look on November 6."
The district is pursuing an additional seven mills of local funding. These additional ad valorem taxes would increase local funding by approximately $7,000,000 per year. Property taxes are estimated to increase by $10 per $100,000 in assessed value for each additional mill. The proposed seven-mill increase would cost an extra $70 per year in taxes per $100,000 of value for owner-occupied residential property. If approved, the property tax increase on a home with an assessed value of $300,000 would increase by $210 annually.
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