Staff Report
Elmore Autauga News
Elmore County officials have introduced a new initiative, Enhance Elmore, aimed at addressing the county’s rapid population growth and its impact on essential services such as public health, safety, infrastructure, and economic development.
Enhance Elmore is a comprehensive program designed to improve the quality of life for residents while managing increased demands on the county’s resources. The initiative targets critical areas, including the judicial system, jail facilities, roads and bridges, water, sewer, broadband, public safety, and public health services.
The Elmore County Commission has worked to ensure that all residents of Elmore County can take part in solutions that will have lasting impacts on the county.
Elmore County has one of the lowest property tax rates in the state and one of the lowest in the nation and relies heavily on these funds to provide most services. This limits the county’s ability to fund large-scale projects as these funds typically are utilized for general operations.
The county’s aging infrastructure, growing inmate population, and increased court case load have created urgent needs that current revenues cannot adequately address.
“We have worked through multiple versions of this initiative to be as thorough as possible to ensure that this is plan is successful for every citizen of Elmore County.” Chairman Bart Mercer of the Elmore County Commission stated. “Everyone will be able to participate in ensuring our county is best prepared for current and future growth.”
The Enhance Elmore program will allocate significant funding to address critical infrastructure needs.
This includes $6.4 million for renovating the Judicial Complex to accommodate two new circuit judges, $14.2 million for an administrative addition to the Judicial Complex to expand facilities for the sheriff’s department, and $82 million for replacing and expanding the county jail. The new jail will double the current capacity of 242 inmates and allow for future growth to accommodate up to 600 inmates.
Additionally, funding will support fire departments, infrastructure improvements, and economic development efforts.
The funding mechanism for Enhance Elmore includes seven proposed measures: a countywide levelized 9.5% sales tax, a $25 assessment on vehicle and boat tags, a $100 court fee, a $100 jail booking fee, a countywide levelized 9.5% rental tax, property assessments of $25 per year for land-only parcels, $150 per year for residential properties, and $300 per year for commercial properties, as well as a 4.5% countywide tobacco and vape tax.
For homeowners, the current residential property assessment is $50 per year, with a proposed increase of $150 annually, bringing the total to $200 per year, or approximately $16.67 per month.
“Elmore County’s property tax revenues grow minimally year over year. When adjusted for inflation, some years have even seen negative growth,” said Richie Beyer, Chief Operation Officer for Elmore County. “The modest revenue increase from population growth is insufficient to meet the current demands, let alone fund large-scale projects.”
Enhance Elmore will include annual reporting to ensure accountability and proper allocation of funds. The program’s focus areas of public health and safety, fire services, infrastructure improvements such as roads, bridges, utilities, and broadband, as well as economic and workforce development initiatives will all be reported to the citizens on an annual basis to show exactly where ever dollar of Enhance Elmore is invested throughout the county.
Elmore County residents will vote on two funding measures as a local constitutional amendment, a property assessment and a tobacco/ vape tax.. The other funding mechanisms will only require legislative approval to authorize the County to implement the measures.
Elmore County Commission officials have stressed the importance of investing in critical infrastructure and services to maintain the community’s quality of life and desired levels of service.
“We are trying to get ahead of this. We have our revenue measures identified and have a plan to strategically invest them. We have worked researching and gathering data for this initiative for almost two years in an effort to deliver a program that benefits all our residents,” Mercer stated.
There will be a Listening Session before the regular commission meeting on Monday January 13th at 4PM. This session will be an open forum for the public to gain more knowledge and information and the initiative. The public is encouraged to attend.
We will have multiple articles in the coming weeks about this initiative with detailed breakdowns on this will affect the county.
