2 Weeks Until Property Tax Increase Vote for New Pike Road High School

Residents in the town of Pike Road are 2 weeks away from heading to the polls to decide on a property tax increase for schools. Pike Road schools are working to make sure the residents have a more informed decision before heading to the polls on October 5. As we have reported, the proposed property tax increase would go towards a new high school.

Pike Road Schools Superintendent Dr. Chuck Ledbetter had this to say about the increase.

“Any time you’re looking at raising revenue people want to make sure there’s a reason for it,” stated Dr. Ledbetter. “So, as we lay out our reasons and show and transparently show our growth and the things that we’ve done to get where we are now and things that we need to do in the future and continue to grow so people can see the need and we’ve had a great response.”

The current high school at the Georgia Washington Campus has the junior high and high school in one building. Pike Road has one of the fastest growing school systems in Alabama and the superintendent says the high school building is unable to keep up with the growth. The estimated $55 million new building will be able to hold 1500 students and is expected to be ready to use by 2025. The old high school

at the Georgia Washington campus will become the junior high school building only. Pike Road schools say, if passed, the average tax payer will pay roughly $15 per every 100 thousand in property value.

“We have this need for school space and so we look at how we get there and what we need to do to make that happen,” continued Dr. Ledbetter. “So, this is, we’ve been working on this for about a year. From the time we get it passed, we get it passed October 5th then it’ll be about a 4 year bill time almost so we would be in the school by fall 2025 so it’s a planning process that has to happen and it does take time.”

We talked with some Pike Road parents about the property tax increase. A mother of 2 Pike Road Intermediate students had this to say about the proposed property tax.

“We’re looking forward to being able to use the facility in the future with my own children but I think more importantly there’s a huge need in our community and so this will benefit us far beyond just my 2 children,” stated Mona Hurston.

We tried talking to parents who had a negative opinion for the tax increase; however, they wished to remain off camera.

Over the next 2 weeks, there are community forums planned, so people can get more information about the proposed increase. Voting will take place on Tuesday, October 5th from 7 am to 7 pm at Pike Road Town Hall.