From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
ST. CLAIR COUNTY – A special election was held on Tuesday night on whether or not to increase property taxes on St. Clair County schools, which resulted in residents voting against the proposed increase, except for those in the Leeds school district.
The election was held at city halls located in the county. The increase would have levied 30 cents on each 0 of “the assessed value of the taxable property located within the said school district” for 30 consecutive years that started with a tax year beginning in October of 2017, according to a notice put out on the St. Clair County School Systems website.
Money resulting from the increase would have gone to school purposes, the notice said.
Argo Mayor Betty Bradley believes that part of the failure of the tax to pass was due to a small voter turnout in spite of an apparent support by the people of Argo. This, coupled with concerns on how voters’ money was being spent, factored in the failure, she said.
“It wasn’t advertised well,” Bradley said. “Many people were uninformed about it. There were people who were curious on how their money was going to be spent on the increase. A lot of people didn’t even know it was happening.”
Though Argo doesn’t have schools, the increase would have effected Springville Elementary, Springille Middle School and Springville High School, where much of Argo’s children go to.
Springville Mayor William Isley, Jr. expressed his disappointment over last night’s results.
“Most people in Springville know the importance of funding for the schools at a county level,” he said. “I’m extremely disappointed as the mayor of Springville and I hope that, in the future, the county can see the benefits of an increase for the schools.”
He said that schools in Springville would have benefited, not only in their infrastructure, but also in overcrowding in what he said was effected the schools.
Calls to the chairman of St. Clair County Commission and the president of the St. Clair County Board of Education were not immediately returned.