Limestone County tax equalization plan passes

By Jonathan Stinson, Madison Record
(Updated: Friday, November 7, 2008 3:06 PM CST)

The amendment to equalize the ad valorem taxes paid by Madison City residents in Madison and Limestone Counties narrowly passed on the state level, easily passed in Madison County and was soundly defeated in the Limestone County.

The statewide amendment only affects the Limestone County residents who live inside the Madison city limits.

State-wide the amendment passed by a vote of 570,371 to 563,402. In Madison County 55,661 voters were for amendment 3, while 41,004 were against it.

The residents of the city of Madison in Madison County voted 11,944 to pass the amendment to 3,945 against the amendment.

Residents in Limestone County had 14,561 no votes and 9,299 yes votes.

Madison City residents in Limestone County had 921 votes against the amendment and 260 votes for the amendment.

Previously, Limestone County residents in the city of Madison paid 19.5 mills in taxes for public schools, while the rest of Madison City residents paid 30 mills in taxes for public school.

The amendment will equalize those tax rates. The change will mean an additional 10.5 mill increase for those Limestone County residents.

Currently, Limestone County residents pay 49.5 mills in property tax. Out of that, 16.5 mills goes towards the schools, with 5.5 mills being a county-wide tax and 11 mills being a city tax. The same goes for residents of Madison County except those residents pay an additional 10.5 mill district tax.

The change will not affect any other Limestone County residents.

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