Each month, we'll spotlight the wonderful individuals serving on our school boards or the outstanding work

being done by school systems across the state!

A Win for Students: Voters Approve School Tax Renewal in Russell County and Phenix City 

Russell County voters have renewed a long-standing commitment to their schools. In the November midterm election, they approved the school mill tax renewal, keeping a steady source of local funding in place for Phenix City Schools and the Russell County School District. The vote reflects a community that understands what stable investment makes possible for students.

A Commitment Decades in the Making

The school mill tax is not new. It has been part of local property bills for about 30 years, and every three decades it returns to the ballot for renewal. Many residents do not realize it is already included in their property taxes. In fact, school system officials estimate that a homeowner with a $250,000 home pays approximately $8 a month.

What Was at Stake

The renewal provides more than $5.8 million, which is shared between the two school systems. Without it, Russell County Schools could have lost about $2 million a year, plus schools in both systems would've seen negative impacts on classroom instruction, student programs, transportation and more due to the loss. Those funds help cover needs that federal dollars do not, and they fill gaps left by state funding. As Paula Thompson, community education director for the Russell County School District, put it, “It funds our future.”

A Strategic Campaign and Informing the Community

With this much at stake, the outcome was never something to leave to chance. Phenix City Board President Yolaunda Daniel, recently spoke on a panel at AASB's Fall Conference: Leadership for Community Engagement, where she emphasized the importance of running a comprehensive and strategic campaign that builds on past successes and failures rather than starting from scratch each time. That approach was central to this effort as the school tax renewal initially failed to pass in the May primary election.

A vote like this depends on voters understanding what is on the ballot, and the Russell County and Phenix City boards of education helped make that happen. Both boards worked to inform their communities about why the renewal mattered. The two systems’ superintendents also joined forces on a video explaining the importance of the vote. By speaking with one voice, the two systems showed that this was a shared priority for the whole community, not a decision for one district alone.

A Community Investing in Its Students

By renewing this tax, voters made it clear that strong schools are a shared priority. The result gives both school systems the stability to plan ahead, support their students and keep the programs that help them succeed.

View Spotlight Archive