Mobile’s 2008 Annexation Plan Raised Tax and Boundary Questions
Archived WKRG reporting captured competing views on Mobile's 2008 annexation proposal, including proposed tax changes and the areas included on the map.
Historical report, published from archived local news coverage.
An archived local news report from Aug. 15, 2008, described Mobile’s proposed annexation plan and the debate it prompted among residents and local officials. City leaders said more than 4,000 residents were included in a plan covering parts of Theodore and Tillmans Corner, Moffett Road, and the Windmill Place, Dominion and Wellington subdivisions.
One resident whose property sat along the city line told the station she preferred being in the city. Another homeowner and business owner opposed the anticipated tax increases.
The report said Mayor Sam Jones described an estimated annual increase of $150 in property taxes for a $100,000 home, with $70 going to the city and $80 to the Mobile County School District. Jones said the revenue would support city services.
Mobile County Commissioner Mike Dean criticized the proposed map and called for residents to decide whether to join the city. The City Council was expected to consider setting an election date.
What happened next
The council unanimously authorized a special annexation election on Aug. 26, 2008. Under the Alabama law the city used, only qualified voters living inside each proposed area could vote on whether that area joined Mobile.
The election was held Oct. 7, 2008. In the area designated as the Theodore Area, voters approved annexation 460 to 193, and Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis declared that area part of the city on Oct. 16, 2008.
