By Gary Lloyd
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Council on Tuesday approved of a property tax election to fund two new elementary schools.
The vote of residents for or against the seven-millage property tax increase will be Feb. 25, 2014. Public hearings are expected to be scheduled in January and February.
Here are some numbers relating to the proposed increase:
- A seven-millage property tax increase would fund one community school in the Magnolia Place area and the renovation of the New Deal-era school building on Parkway Drive, which has served as a high school and middle school. Both schools would be equipped with Federal Emergency Management Agency-approved community tornado shelters.
- A seven-mill increase means $70 per year extra in property taxes for homeowners who own homes appraised at $100,000. That equates to $5.83 per month.
- The increase means $140 per year extra in property taxes for homeowners who own homes appraised at $200,000. That equates to $11.66 per month.
- The increase means $210 per year extra in property taxes for homeowners who own homes appraised at $300,000. That equates to $17.50 per month.
- One mill of property tax in Trussville is equivalent to $300,000 per year. A seven-millage increase would generate $2.1 million per year for schools. The seven mills would be used for new construction, renovation, additions and operations of Trussville City Schools for 25 years.
- Mayor Gene Melton said 8,200 letters were mailed to city residents, and about 8,000 were received by residents.
- Melton said the most responses to a letter he has received since becoming mayor in 1996 were 200 to 300. This letter, which included a survey about the property tax and various city services, garnered 1,455 total responses.
- Of the 1,455 responses, 1,102 included the person’s name, address and email address.
- Of those 1,102 responses, 603 were in favor of the seven-mill property tax increase. There were 456 in opposition to it.
- Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill said there are 14 portable classrooms at the Paine Elementary Campus.
- Neill said about 90 percent of the school system’s employees think a property tax increase is a good idea.
- Because each community elementary school would house about 400 students, that’s a maximum of six school buses per community elementary school because buses hold 70 students.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.