Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft said he supports bills in the legislature requiring a portion of a countywide penny tax to be split between all school systems instead of going only to the Baldwin County Public School system. However, he doesn't see it happening due to political forces within the county system.
The county system receives 100% of the 40% education portion of a one-cent sales tax that the state legislature levied in 2017. Meanwhile, city school systems, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, do not get any of it.
"I think it's ridiculous that we're paying money to educate throughout the county and we don't get anything out of it," Craft said. "I think it's totally wrong, and there's not a world in which we should be paying a tax to educate other people's kids, then we don't get any part of it."
State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) filed two bills to address the issue.
Senate Bill 135 (SB135) would distribute funds based on student population.
Senate Bill 136 (SB136) would distribute funds based on the tax collected within the municipality.
State Rep. Francis Holk-Jones introduced the House version of the bills.
Craft said he favors the bill to distribute based on where the tax is collected.
Baldwin County Schools Superintendent Eddie Tyler opposes both bills. He said the terms of the tax were negotiated years ago when Orange Beach and Gulf Shores separated from the county system.
Craft remembers those discussions much differently. He told 1819 News that aspects of the separation were agreed on, except the tax destination. At the time, the parties could not come to an agreement, so they decided to table the issue until the buildings were paid off. Craft said the buildings were paid off last December.
"It was never agreed to just leave it there," explained Craft. "We agreed to park it there for a period of time. That period of time is over. And now it's time to address it."
Both Craft and Tyler agree on one thing: Neither believes the bills will have enough support to pass this legislative session.
Craft said he asked around while meeting with other mayors in Baldwin County and found the majority of them did not support the change. He believes their opposition is politically motivated.
"It was very clear that they were not excited about going against Baldwin County Board of Education for us," he remembered. "I think Mr. Tyler apparently has made it pretty clear that there will be a problem for them in future elections if they do. That's me speculating that. No one said that."
"[S]o that's kind of where we are with the dilemma," Craft continued. "It is the fear of the Baldwin County Board of Education and the power that they have and retaliation potential by any power against everybody that's on the wrong side, against him [Tyler] in future needs for support in any election type of process. Again, my opinion and my opinion only. That's really what I think is going on."
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