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Vote yes on amendment 2 for the good of the state Dear Thomasville Citizens: Amendment 2 on the November ballot is a constitutional amendment that requires every school district in the state to levy at least ten mills (one penny per hundred dollar value of property) on ownership of property in order to participate in the state's Education Foundation Program. Thomasville City Schools currently exceeds this requirement and would not be affected by the vote. In 1995, the Foundation Law equalized state funding for every student in every school system and required a minimum of 10 mills from every school system in order to participate fully in state funding. This is the amount that is deducted from the state allocation to the local school systems through the budget process. Thirty school systems in Alabama do not collect 10 mills and use local sales taxes to make up the difference between the mills they collect and the 10-mill requirement. Local sales taxes then become part of the state's Foundation Program and are not available to meet other local needs. As property values increase, the "equivalency amount" also increases. More and more local sales tax dollars are needed to meet the equivalency requirement. Amendment 2 eliminates the equivalency allowance. Property owners in our community would not be affected. The statewide referendum is necessary to insure that ALL Alabama's public school children have at least the minimum level of support the Legislature deemed necessary to participate in the Foundation Program. It is important for each of us to do our fair share in informing our community. A "yes" vote on November 7 will provide an equitable tax effort for all school systems in our great state. Sincerely, Dr. Vic Noel Adkison Superintendent Thomasville City Schools
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