Glen Watson wants to raise your taxes. Glen Watson on many occasions supported tax increases or more fees upon the citizens of Huntsville. The below is one example where Glen Watson did the bidding of the AEA by publicly supporting a sales tax increase.
SPARKS FLY AS LEADERS DEBATE TAXES Faye Dyer, Glen Watson trade jabs over proposed hike to help schools Friday, February 16, 2007 By JOHN PECK Times Staff Writer A "unity breakfast" of county and municipal leaders turned testy Thursday during a discussion on a proposed countywide sales-tax increase for schools.
The debate got personal when Madison County Commissioner Faye Dyer rapped City Council President Glenn Watson for attacking commissioners for not passing the half-cent countywide tax, while dismissing the notion of a city-only sales tax for schools. Watson plans to run for Dyer's commission seat in 2008.
"If the city of Huntsville school system has needs, it's my view the Huntsville City Council should address them, not the County Commission," Dyer said.
Watson responded that a countywide sales tax would help all school districts in Madison County. The countywide sales-tax hike, he said, is a quick way to address school growth challenges now without the added step of getting legislative approval.
The County Commission can levy the tax without a referendum under a 1986 law allowing counties to approve up to a penny sales-tax increase for education. County commissioners levied a half-cent tax that year.
"It's the only option you've got. You can't force the Legislature to do anything," Watson said, referring to several of Dyer's proposed solutions, which would require legislative authorization.
"So as a council person, you'd vote against (a city) sales tax for schools, but if you were in my position on the County Commission, you say you would vote for it," Dyer said to Watson.
Watson said he's not afraid of political repercussions, but he disagreed with Dyer's interpretation of his position.
"I'm not going to let you turn this into a political debate. You can ask questions, but I'm not going to respond to something I obviously didn't say," he said. Watson also admonished Commissioner Mo Brooks for repeatedly asking if the Madison and Huntsville city councils planned to hike their sales taxes if the county doesn't boost the countywide tax.
Huntsville Councilman Richard Showers, who put the sales-tax issue on the agenda, seemed to lessen some of the tension when he characterized the discussions as progress.
Sparks fly as leaders debate tax Page 2 of 2 "What we're getting now is dialogue. It's obvious everyone who has spoken has addressed it and said what they are going to say," he told the group shortly before it moved on to other topics.
A divided County Commission shelved the half-cent tax hike Oct. 27 after four of the six commissioners refused to support it. Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie, who has voiced support for the tax, votes only in case of a tie. The commission passed a resolution banning another vote until after the 2008 elections unless one of the four opposing commissioners brings it back for reconsideration.
A half-cent countywide tax hike would raise about $21 million year to finance borrowing for tens of millions of dollars of repairs, new classrooms and other capital needs for the county's three school systems.
Dyer and commissioners Brooks, Dale Strong and Bob Harrison opposed the sales tax last October. Commissioners Roger Jones and Jerry Craig voted for it.
Dyer and Brooks repeated their opposition to the tax Thursday. Craig and Jones reiterated their support. Harrison and Strong said Thursday that they still need more information before they could support it.
Brooks expresses doubts
Brooks said he finds it hard to believe that county schools need money for buildings after adding some administrative positions that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. A proposed $1 billion statewide school bond issue also could help area school systems, he said.
Brooks said the new Congress could slow or change BRAC relocation plans that may bring thousands of new families to the area. "They have different priorities that are not as defense-oriented," he said.
Dyer, armed with a new study of property- and sales-tax rates and revenue, questioned the fairness of including the cities of Madison and Huntsville in the countywide sales-tax hike when property- and sales-tax rates in unincorporated areas are lower.
"I think it would be poor judgment on the part of the Madison County Commission to subsidize people who are not willing to pay the same tax that the city of Huntsville and city of Madison pay," she said.
"If those folks don't want their children attending class in a portable classroom, they will vote to raise their property taxes," Dyer said. "But do you think for a minute they're going to vote to raise their property taxes if we're willing to rescue them with a sales tax? I don't think so."
She also suggested the city do a better job of using schools with space for more students.
'Step up to the plate'
Jones said while the sales tax is unpopular, commissioners should "step up to the plate" and pass it to help area schools meet growth challenges. "If we just look five to 10 years in the future, we'll have a village of portables," he said.
Craig questioned whether "equalizing" tax rates in unincorporated areas, as Dyer has suggested, would produce enough money.
Several Madison City Council members weighed in with comments about the need for more schools. Dyer suggested Madison follow Huntsville's lead and create Tax Increment Financing districts. A TIF redirects future property-tax revenue within the district to repay the cost of a school or other public improvement built to boost those property values.
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Glen Watson
Glen Watson wants to raise your taxes. Glen Watson on many occasions supported tax increases or more fees upon the citizens of Huntsville. The below is one example where Glen Watson did the bidding of the AEA by publicly supporting a sales tax increase.
SPARKS FLY AS LEADERS DEBATE TAXES
Faye Dyer, Glen Watson trade jabs over proposed hike to help schools Friday, February 16, 2007 By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer A "unity breakfast" of county and municipal leaders turned testy Thursday during a
discussion on a proposed countywide sales-tax increase for schools.
The debate got personal when Madison County Commissioner Faye Dyer rapped City Council President Glenn Watson
for attacking commissioners for not passing the half-cent countywide tax, while dismissing the notion of a
city-only sales tax for schools. Watson plans to run for Dyer's commission seat in 2008.
"If the city of Huntsville school system has needs, it's my view the Huntsville City Council should address
them, not the County Commission," Dyer said.
Watson responded that a countywide sales tax would help all school districts in Madison County. The countywide
sales-tax hike, he said, is a quick way to address school growth challenges now without the added step of
getting legislative approval.
The County Commission can levy the tax without a referendum under a 1986 law allowing counties to approve up
to a penny sales-tax increase for education. County commissioners levied a half-cent tax that year.
"It's the only option you've got. You can't force the Legislature to do anything," Watson said, referring to
several of Dyer's proposed solutions, which would require legislative authorization.
"So as a council person, you'd vote against (a city) sales tax for schools, but if you were in my position on
the County Commission, you say you would vote for it," Dyer said to Watson.
Watson said he's not afraid of political repercussions, but he disagreed with Dyer's interpretation of his
position.
"I'm not going to let you turn this into a political debate. You can ask questions, but I'm not going to
respond to something I obviously didn't say," he said. Watson also admonished Commissioner Mo Brooks for
repeatedly asking if the Madison and Huntsville city councils planned to hike their sales taxes if the county
doesn't boost the countywide tax.
Huntsville Councilman Richard Showers, who put the sales-tax issue on the agenda, seemed to lessen some of the
tension when he characterized the discussions as progress.
Sparks fly as leaders debate tax
Page 2 of 2
"What we're getting now is dialogue. It's obvious everyone who has spoken has addressed it and said what they
are going to say," he told the group shortly before it moved on to other topics.
A divided County Commission shelved the half-cent tax hike Oct. 27 after four of the six commissioners refused
to support it. Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie, who has voiced support for the tax, votes only in case of a
tie. The commission passed a resolution banning another vote until after the 2008 elections unless one of the
four opposing commissioners brings it back for reconsideration.
A half-cent countywide tax hike would raise about $21 million year to finance borrowing for tens of millions
of dollars of repairs, new classrooms and other capital needs for the county's three school systems.
Dyer and commissioners Brooks, Dale Strong and Bob Harrison opposed the sales tax last October. Commissioners
Roger Jones and Jerry Craig voted for it.
Dyer and Brooks repeated their opposition to the tax Thursday. Craig and Jones reiterated their support.
Harrison and Strong said Thursday that they still need more information before they could support it.
Brooks expresses doubts
Brooks said he finds it hard to believe that county schools need money for buildings after adding some
administrative positions that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. A proposed $1 billion statewide
school bond issue also could help area school systems, he said.
Brooks said the new Congress could slow or change BRAC relocation plans that may bring thousands of new
families to the area. "They have different priorities that are not as defense-oriented," he said.
Dyer, armed with a new study of property- and sales-tax rates and revenue, questioned the fairness of
including the cities of Madison and Huntsville in the countywide sales-tax hike when property- and sales-tax
rates in unincorporated areas are lower.
"I think it would be poor judgment on the part of the Madison County Commission to subsidize people who are
not willing to pay the same tax that the city of Huntsville and city of Madison pay," she said.
"If those folks don't want their children attending class in a portable classroom, they will vote to raise
their property taxes," Dyer said. "But do you think for a minute they're going to vote to raise their property
taxes if we're willing to rescue them with a sales tax? I don't think so."
She also suggested the city do a better job of using schools with space for more students.
'Step up to the plate'
Jones said while the sales tax is unpopular, commissioners should "step up to the plate" and pass it to help
area schools meet growth challenges. "If we just look five to 10 years in the future, we'll have a village of
portables," he said.
Craig questioned whether "equalizing" tax rates in unincorporated areas, as Dyer has suggested, would produce
enough money.
Several Madison City Council members weighed in with comments about the need for more schools. Dyer suggested
Madison follow Huntsville's lead and create Tax Increment Financing districts. A TIF redirects future
property-tax revenue within the district to repay the cost of a school or other public improvement built to
boost those property values.
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