Residents of Trussville handily defeated a proposed property tax increase that would have funded three major expansion projects for Trussville City Schools. According to unofficial election results released by the city on Tuesday night, reported by the Trussville Tribune, 58.02% of voters said ‘No’ to the proposed increase. Residents of nearby Fultondale also rejected a proposed property tax hike that would have doubled the city’s millage rate.

In Trussville, the proposal was for a 12.9 mill property tax increase to fund the construction of a new elementary school at Glendale Farms, upgrading Hewitt-Trussville Middle School’s facilities, and adding over 20 new classrooms with a C-Wing at Hewitt-Trussville High School. The increase would have raised Trussville’s millage rate from 62.1 to 75, translating to roughly an $129 increase for a home valued at $100,000 and by $645 increase for a home valued at $500,000.

Also according to the Trussville Tribune, despite the property tax increase failing, Mayor Buddy Choat said the city will maintain the expansion goals as the school district continues to crowd. Choat was an adamant supporter of the proposal.

“Well at this point, obviously, I’m really disappointed for our students and teachers that have been put in some of these situations, but I do appreciate the turnout quite honestly, I think it shows our community is engaged,” Choat said after the results came in.

“I think we got our message out, I hope we did, because obviously it didn’t resonate with as many people as we were hoping, but I think we gotta respect those that voted, how they did, and I appreciate everybody’s efforts that was put into this.”

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270