Alabama CSE Helps to Stop a Property Tax Increase in Huntsville

Huntsville, AL – Since our inception, Citizens for a Sound Economy has been fighting for lower taxes, less government, and more freedom. Our motto has been “politics goes to those who show up.” Whether it’s on the national, state, or local level, citizen activism is the key factor that changes public policy. As a testament to these beliefs, Alabama CSE activated its membership base in the Huntsville area to fight against a proposed property tax increase, which would have affected those living in the Huntsville school system. The proposal called for an increase of 3-mill on top of a previously passed 5-mill property tax (the 5-mill equates to nearly $6 million a year for the Huntsville school system). With the help of Alabama CSE activists on the ground, the 3-mill levy was defeated.

Our activists’ message from the beginning was clear: Before Huntsville citizens are burdened with more taxes, the local school system needs to better utilize the funds that it already receives from taxpayers. As Alabama CSE activist Hugh McInnish stated in the Huntsville Times, “I believe that the people of Huntsville think the city schools have enough money if they operate efficiently.” When the votes were tallied, Huntsville residents thought that the school district had enough revenue to operate: More than 60% of Huntsville voters, declined to support a new 3-mill levy on taxpayers.

Citizen Activism and Community Education – There is no doubt that Alabama CSE and our 2,000 Huntsville area activists made a difference. AL CSE distributed more than 35,000 “Tax Referendum Extra” (a 12 page educational newspaper) to Huntsville voters; we called over 4,000 Huntsville residents in a get out the vote effort; we distributed and placed lawn signs; and called and emailed our activists base with the message and a reminder to get out and vote.

Alabama CSE has been working to recruit, educate, and mobilize citizen activists who want lower taxes, less government, and more freedom. We have traveled throughout the state educating citizens on taxes, tort reform, government waste and corruption, and education reform by sponsoring good-old-fashioned CSE barbeques, holding CSE club meetings and other speaking engagements. More importantly, we mobilize our activists to make a difference. From carrying out CSE Days at the Capitol, where we bus in hundreds of our activists to Montgomery to fight for the ideas and policies we believe in, to fighting against local tax issues, CSE gets out, mobilizes, and makes a difference.

For a copy of the Huntsville Times article featuring Alabama CSE, click here.