‘Something old, nothing new’ in local school systems’ request for 10 mill tax renewal

The 10 mill tax that Franklin County voters approved 30 years ago is set to expire this year, and both the Franklin County Board of Education and the Russellville City Schools Board of Education have sent resolutions to the Franklin County Commission requesting a proposed 30-year renewal of the tax be placed on the November 3, 2026, ballots for all voters in Franklin County to consider.

You may be confused in what constitutes a ‘mill’ and how the tax amount due for property owners is calculated. It’s also further complicated by the fact that there are different calculations for the 10 mill tax depending on where your property is situated.

There’s one thing about the 10 mill tax that is clear as day though. And that’s the significance of the revenue it generates for both of Franklin County’s public school systems.

Administrators of both systems have recently said if the tax renewal proposal either doesn’t get on this year’s general election ballot, or if voters don’t approve renewal, the financial impact would constitute a ‘significant blow’ to these school systems.

Russellville City Schools Superintendent of Education Tim Guinn wants voters to understand they are not being asked to approve a new tax or an increased tax. Instead, it would be a continuation of something that’s been in place for 30 years.

“This is not a new tax, but it does generate approximately $1.4 million of local funds for Russellville City Schools,” Guinn said. “And those funds allow us to do some extra things for our students.

“Among those extras are increased campus security measures, including funding our school resource officers at every school, school visitor management systems at our elementary schools and electro-magnetic locks on all perimeter doors. School safety is just one aspect of how we spend these local funds,” Guinn added.

Both school systems have submitted their official requests to place the proposed 30-year renewal on the November 3rd ballot to the Franklin County Commission.

The Commission isn’t being asked to decide whether to renew the tax. Instead, the request is that the Franklin County Commission simply add the renewal vote to the general election ballot.

Franklin County voters have a history of supporting public education. A few years ago, voters approved a 30-year extension of a one cent sales tax, with 75% of that revenue going proportionately to the two school systems, and 25% to the Franklin County Commission for road and bridge maintenance and improvement.

It was 1997 when Franklin County voters were first asked to support an ad valorem tax to be used by the two local school systems. Voters overwhelmingly approved the tax referendum, just as they did the more recent one cent sales tax.

Former StateRepresentative Johnny Mack Morrow represented House District 18 in the Alabama Legislature for nearly three decades.

Morrow legislated on the idea of letting voters decide important local issues through referendums or amendments on the ballot. He even supported holding referendum elections on issues he personally opposed, again with that ‘let the people decide’ concept of serving his constituents. And that concept resonated with voters, who re-elected him six times during his 28-year Legislative tenure.

That’s precisely what the Franklin County Commission is now asked to do with the proposed 10 mill tax renewal—allow voters to decide the issue. The final say would come from votes cast in the November 3rd election, not from the Franklin County Commission.

Russellville attorney Danny McDowell, who represents both the Franklin County Schools and Russellville City Schools Boards of Education, said the revenue generated by the tax is substantial for both school districts.

“What Franklin County voters would be asked to do is continue the status quo of supporting local education just as we do now,” McDowell said. “Renewing the tax would not cost anybody more that what they are already paying. It’s not a tax increase. Nothing tax wise would change from what is in place now.”

The current 10 mill tax includes all Franklin County residents paying 5.5 mills, with those living inside the Russellville city limits paying the additional 4.5 mills for the benefit of the Russellville school system, and property owners outside the Russellville city limits paying their additional 4.5 mills for the benefit of Franklin County Schools.

“Everybody votes on the 5.5 mills, and Russellville City voters vote on their own for their 4.5 mills and voters outside of Russellville voting for their 4.5 mills for the Franklin County system,” McDowell explained.

McDowell compared the annual amount most residents pay with the cost of eating one meal at a nice restaurant.

On its website, www.revenue.alabama.gov, the Alabama Department of Revenue defines a mill as one-tenth of one cent.

“The number of mills an agency charges for taxes is multiplied times the assessed value of the property, and the result is the tax amount due,” the website reads.

Property in Alabama is assessed at a rate of 10% of the appraised value. For a home appraised at $100,000,the assessed value would be $10,000. That assessed value is used to calculate the 10 mill tax rate. 10 mills equals one penny, or $0.01.

In the coming months, expect both Guinn and Franklin County Schools Superintendent of Education Greg Hamilton to provide the public information on how and where the 10 mill tax proceeds have been spent within their respective systems.

Another prerequisite to having the measure placed on ballots is collecting a minimum number of signatures from residents. Signing the petition is not the same as voting for the measure. It’s simply asking the Franklin County Commission to let voters decide the fate of the expiring 10 mill education tax.