Members of the Greene County Commission and the Greene County Board of Education meet in working session to discuss adding a 3 mill ad valorem tax to help fund the new complete high school.

The Greene County Board of Education and the Greene County Commission met in a joint working session, Thursday, March 29, 2012 to discuss the school board’s proposal for an additional 3 mill ad valorem tax for the new Greene County High School.

School Superintendent Emma Louie led the presentation explaining that the increased 3 mill tax will add to the resources currently available for the new basic high school and allow the system to continue to construct a complete high school. She explained that it is about providing our children with a basic high school or a complete high school.

“Our children deserve a complete high school.  The 3 mill ad valorem tax requested for 20 years would yield approximately $360,000 per year, which is adequate for a complete high school,” explained Louie.

  According to Dr. Louie a complete high school plant will include academic classrooms, library, cafeteria, science labs, band/music room, gymnasium, football field, baseball field, auditorium and Career Tech Center. A complete high school will allow all programs to be located on the same campus in one location. She said, “One central high school plant will provide for greater safety and better educational opportunities for our children and less operating cost in the long run.”

The original basic school plan will not include gymnasium, football and baseball fields, auditorium and Career Center.  Students will have to be bused to the old high school for these programs.

Dr. Louie stated that the one cent sales tax pledged to support the construction of a new high school currently brings in much less than it did several years ago. Thus, the additional revenue is needed to cover sewage, water and road costs which have tripled from the original amount of $2.6 million.

“The original budget of $10 million for the new high school needs to be adjusted to $16-22 million to construct the complete high school with appropriate sewage, water and roads. The original $10 million will be spent first,” she explained.

Attorney Hank Sanders stated that the next steps prior to bringing the ad valorem tax referendum to the people for the vote include;  the county commission must hold a public hearing; approve a resolution requesting the Alabama Legislature to pass the bill; publish the bill four consecutive weeks in the local newspaper; introduce the bill in the regular or special session of the legislature; the bill must pass in the Alabama Legislature.

The County Commission is expected to render a formal decision at its regular meeting, Monday, April 9, 2012.

In discussing the extra millage, Dr. Louis explained that one mill is equal to one thousandth of a dollar.

She said that for a home valued at $100,000, the tax increase would be $30 per year; on a vehicle valued at $20,000, the tax increase would be $6 per year.

At its April 2, 2012 reconvened meeting the school board agreed to send a request to the Greene County Commission seeking support for an additional 3 mills ad valorem tax.  The school system currently receives a 14 mill ad valorem tax.