Limestone County School Board wants special election to renew property tax rate

by: Alexa Harley, Carson Burns

Posted: Aug 30, 2023 / 06:04 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 30, 2023 / 06:04 PM CDT

LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – Voters in Limestone County may be heading to the polls this winter for a special election.

The Limestone County Board of Education met Wednesday morning to discuss the need to renew the county’s 3 mill special district property tax, which has been the rate for the last 20 years. The board wants the tax rate of 30 cents on each $100 of assessed property value to stay in place for the next 20 years.

“This is just a renewal of the property taxes that we currently have,” said Limestone County Schools Superintendent Randy Shearhouse. “Now, of course, property values change as far as value of property, and that would be an independent type situation where that would just affect certain people that the value of their property went up, but as far as the millage rate, that rate is exactly the same.”

School board members unanimously agreed to ask the Limestone County Commission to hold a special election for the tax rate renewal. If the commissioners agree, the board is asking for the special election to be held on December 5, 2023. If voters approve the measure, it would go into effect starting October 1, 2024.

The tax rate and the special election do not impact residents in other school districts within Limestone County, only those within the Limestone County Schools System.

The map below shows the areas affected by the proposed tax renewal. If you live in an area shown in white, you would be included in the property tax.

The colored areas indicate separate school districts not included in the tax district:

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