Printing provided by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County

The education property tax is a continuation of a tax that began in 1956. This tax was renewed by voters in 1985 (effective 1987). All revenue stays in Huntsville.

The cost of the tax depends on the value of your home. If it is worth $100,000, this tax costs you $65 a year (or $5.40 a month, which is less than your monthly garbage bill). If your house is worth $200,000, the tax costs you $10.80 per month. And better schools mean higher property values! Of the money generated from this tax, 70 percent comes from businesses, while 30 percent is paid by homeowners. Even so, the citys most influential business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County are endorsing the renewal of this tax.

This tax has generated more than $140 million over the past 10 years for capital improvements, like the construction of Blossomwood Elementary, the $7.1-million annex at Grissom High and the construction of GoldsmithSchiffman Elementary and Hampton Cove Middle School.
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Over the coming years, the 6.5 mil special ad valorem tax will fund $188 million in required maintenance and repairs. Additionally, it will allow for future projects at Johnson, Martin Luther King and Whitesburg schools. With cities such as Decatur and Hartselle providing 117 percent to 300 percent more per student in local tax revenue than Huntsville, we cannot afford to jeopardize the competitiveness of our students and businesses by reducing support to our schools.

In just one year, Huntsville City Schools went from a $19.5 million deficit to having more than $3.5 million in the bank. The Huntsville system is showing unprecedented financial responsibility. Test scores are on the rise, and students are being given access to technology like never before. Previous Huntsville generations have benefitted from this education property tax. Shouldnt todays children have the same advantage?

The tax doesnt expire until 2015, but by holding the vote now, the city doesnt have to bear the cost of a special election. Even if voters give their thumbs-up to continuing the tax, the renewal also has to be cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice.