Board defines four priorities for MCS funding

Madison Board of Education members are Dr. Terri Johnson, seated from left, Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler, David Hergenroeder, standing from left, Ranae Bartlett, Connie Spears and Tim Holtcamp. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON – Madison Board of Education has adopted a resolution defining its four major priorities, primarily concerning funding, for Madison City Schools (MCS).

* Priority 1: Limestone County taxes collected for education but excluding Madison taxpayers from benefit. — “Residents of Madison/Limestone county are entitled to receive the benefit from both ad valorem and sales taxes paid and designated to support education,” the resolution states.

“The current taxation mechanism that allows Limestone County to tax Madison residents for the purpose of benefiting education only in Limestone County and to exclude those same tax-paying Madison residents from any educational benefit is unconstitutional and inherently unfair,” the resolution states.

Furthermore, the board calls for “elected officials to remedy this unfair taxation” and for “(Madison) City Council to stop all residential annexations from Limestone County until this unfair taxation situation is resolved.”

“Our elected officials are doing us no favors in claiming that there is nothing they can do while litigation is pending. . . They should take all necessary steps to provide legislative alternatives,” the board stated.

* Priority 2: TVA in-lieu-of-tax dollars. — “MCS does not receive its proportionate share … This has resulted in a short fall of $241,190 from Madison County and $300,240 from Limestone County. Other areas have worked with their legislators to pass legislation to equitably distribute TVA in-lieu-of-tax dollars. MCS needs similar legislation.”

* Priority 3: Future funding for MCS. — The continuous influx of families to Madison for its schools has caused a near-capacity scenario… “Renew the ad valorem property taxes designated for education totaling 9.5 mils set to expire in 2019… Advocate for an ad valorem property tax increase to be placed on the ballot at the earliest possible time to pay for building an additional school and operate all schools at the level Madison residents expect.”

Also, the board will consider other avenues of funding, including impact fees.

* Priority 4: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with City of Madison regarding recreation campus. — “An MOU was approved by (Madison) City Council and Board of Education in November 2014, with the intent to provide a swimming facility that could be used jointly by high school athletes, city recreation teams and the general public… We are still waiting.”

To access this document, visit madisoncity.k12.al.us; in the “District News” list, click “Madison City BOE Lays Out Education Priorities.”