Voters zoned for Odenville and Margaret schools head to the polls Tuesday to decide on a proposed 15-mill property tax increase that school officials say is needed to replace an aging, overcrowded middle school. The measure would help fund a bond for a new Odenville Middle School on the campus of St. Clair County High School, with construction estimated to cost between $35 million and $40 million.
The tax is expected to generate roughly $2.9 million annually, according to St. Clair County Schools, though actual revenue may vary based on property values. Superintendent Rusty St. John said citizens themselves asked the board of education to consider a tax for the Odenville-Margaret community, according to WBMA. St. John described the current middle school as nearing capacity, telling the station that classes are full and hallways are crowded.
An Older School Strained By Growth
St. John also called Odenville Middle School an older building that could use an upgrade, per the same WBMA report. The school currently serves about 500 students across grades 6 through 8, according to its school profile. Resident Kristen Montalvo told the station she supports the proposal and believes the added expense would be worthwhile.
Not everyone's perspective made it into the public record on this one. WBMA reported it was unable to find residents opposed to the tax who were available for interview, leaving the public debate so far one-sided in the available coverage.
What Homeowners And Drivers Would Pay
The school system's cost estimates scale with home value. A $100,000 owner-occupied home would see about $150 added annually, a $200,000 home about $300, and a $300,000 home about $450, per the district's figures. Actual costs will vary based on assessment, exemptions and property classification, and non-owner-occupied property may see a higher increase. Car owners would feel it too: a private passenger vehicle valued at $20,000 would carry an estimated $45 annual increase.
Where The Money Would Go
St. Clair County Schools says 100% of the funds generated by the tax must be spent within Odenville/Margaret Schools, and bond proceeds can only fund capital projects in that same attendance zone. The district expects about 80% of tax revenue to secure the bond, with the remaining 20% available each year for other needs in the area, including teachers, technology or extracurricular programs, per WBMA's reporting. A seven-member Odenville/Margaret School Attendance and Tax Advisory Committee will recommend how to use that remaining revenue, though the St. Clair County Board of Education retains final authority over expenditures.
Alabama law also prohibits proceeds of a school-district tax from supplanting or reducing other funds already distributed to the school system or tax district, according to the district's posted guidance. The tax would apply only to residents zoned for Odenville Middle School and St. Clair County High School — not to those zoned for Springville Middle School and Springville High School. Because school zoning doesn't always match a city mailing address, the district is recommending residents check its school finder to confirm which zone they fall under.
What Happens If It Fails
If the measure doesn't pass, the tax won't be levied and the new middle school won't be built under the current proposal, WBMA reported. Odenville Middle School students would continue attending the existing facility. A similar funding push played out in the county two years earlier, when the St. Clair County Board of Education approved a resolution securing a $39.4 million bond for a new Springville Middle School, according to The St. Clair Times.
