South Baldwin County residents took to the streets of Foley on Sunday for a parade and rally aimed at building support for an 8-mill property tax increase headed to voters on March 31, one meant to fund a $350 million capital campaign for Baldwin County Public Schools.
Students, parents, and school staff from across the Foley feeder pattern marched together, representing Foley Elementary, Intermediate, Middle and High schools, along with Magnolia School, Summerdale School, Elberta Elementary and Middle schools, Gulf Shores Elementary, Middle and High schools, and Swift Elementary School.
Baldwin County Public Schools Superintendent Robbie Owen said the event was designed to bring together supporters across south Baldwin County ahead of the vote. “We just want to pull together the Foley feeder pattern schools and supporters, parents and all other community members that want to promote the changes that we propose for the south Baldwin area,” Owen said, describing himself as “cautiously optimistic” about the outcome.
Baldwin County Board of Education President Norman Moore framed the tax increase as a modest ask for most homeowners. He said the owner of an average-priced Baldwin County home, valued around $185,000, would pay roughly $150 a year, or about $12 a month. “It’s a pizza,” Moore said. “It’s not very expensive. For those who have more pricey homes, God has blessed them and they should be able to pay a little bit more than the average.”
Not everyone in the crowd agreed. Richard Medicus, a 63-year-old Foley resident, stood along the parade route holding a sign urging a “no” vote. He argued that even a modest dollar increase represents a 67 percent jump in the tax rate at a difficult economic moment for many families. “There are a lot of people out of work that can’t pay for it, they can’t afford it,” Medicus said, adding that higher taxes tend to push businesses to raise prices as well. He said most people he had spoken with, particularly longtime residents, opposed the increase, though he acknowledged he was only one voice in the debate.
Moore said the tax, if approved, would remain in place for 30 years and fund a 10-year school building plan, with the board anticipating continued growth in Baldwin County that will require new schools well beyond the current plan’s scope. “We will continue to grow, and will need new schools 10, 15 or 20 years from now that we can’t even predict right now,” Moore said, calling it a long-term investment rather than a short-term fix.
Board members have said that if voters reject the tax increase on March 31, the school board plans to regroup and seek input, including from opponents, on alternative solutions to the district’s facility needs.