Madison property tax increase (Huntsville, Athens: houses, school district, subdivision)

[Squat700]

I've lived in Madison my entire life. I say this because I've seen the city grow for 40 plus years. It seems we are voting on a property tax increase of 12 mil to fund new schools this fall. They announced they are putting the schools in congested areas so traffic will be horrible times 10. Why not put the schools in the Western area where all that open land is to alleviate traffic and congestion? They have a good school system but really no better than an Athens or Hartselle area minus the traffic, cost of living and a school board that acts like the mafia. The poor city council has about stopped development for the last 3 yrs unless it's a convenient store, storage facility or church.. and let's not forget the tire stores....minor league baseball they say will be the savior.. ask Huntsville how that went. I would support the property tax but what about the road conditions, traffic issues, rising poverty rates due to stopping higher end developments other than every cookie cutter subdivision that all the houses look the same other than the shutters and the front door. I know Madison is trying to be the " park avenue " of Huntsville but it seems to me they are pricing themselves out of the market when you look around at the surrounding schools and communities.

[Madmom2000]

I agree about the location and the traffic. As if Wall Triana isn't bad enough. What I don't understand is why don't all the kids ride the bus? The schools are so closed together that I can't imagine they are on the bus for very long? If there was no car traffic and just busses there would be no traffic. The schools should really make them ride the bus. They pay for busses right? They should use them.

[Allytiel]

Originally Posted by Madmom2000

I agree about the location and the traffic. As if Wall Triana isn't bad enough. What I don't understand is why don't all the kids ride the bus? The schools are so closed together that I can't imagine they are on the bus for very long? If there was no car traffic and just busses there would be no traffic. The schools should really make them ride the bus. They pay for busses right? They should use them.

Can't say I agree with MAKING the kids ride the bus. Geez, do we still have a free country? The state government shouldn't mandate kids must ride on the dirty, no-safety belt busses... Im sure parents choose that option if it works best for them. Sometimes parents like to spend a little time with their kids on the drive there and back. Its a 10 minute drive to our Madison school. I drive my daughter to it, because the bus comes VERY early. I let her ride it home.

[maillemaker]

My kids ride the bus. My daughter has a 90-minute bus ride from Capshaw and County Line Road to Williams. My son has about a 45-minute bus ride from the same location to Providence.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

My kids ride the bus. My daughter has a 90-minute bus ride from Capshaw and County Line Road to Williams. My son has about a 45-minute bus ride from the same location to Providence.

90 minutes is excessive, and 45 minutes is really high. Both of those schools are Huntsville City though. Can you not drive your kids to and from school?

[TN2HSV]

Those locations are being discussed because the school system already owns the land. Yes, building schools on the West side of Madison might make the most sense logistically, but you're talking about spending additional millions just to acquire property. I'm sure they are trying to do the most cost-effective thing.

[maillemaker]

90 minutes is excessive, and 45 minutes is really high. Both of those schools are Huntsville City though. Can you not drive your kids to and from school?

Not really. First of all, I have one kid in Providence and the other at AGT (Williams). I have to be to work by 7. Can't drop the kids off before 7:30 at Providence; no idea what it is for Williams. I get off work at 4. Kids are out before that and they don't like the kids being at Williams past 3:15pm.


But even if I didn't work, it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get to Providence from where we live (near Capshaw and County Line Road), so I'd be looking at 30-40 minutes of my time to get there and back. It takes at least 30 minutes to get over to Williams, so that would be an hour of my time to get there and back.


I hate that my kids have to sit on the bus so long, but it works out well schedule-wise. We all leave the house at 6:30am am and the kids get home just before me at 4:30pm.

[djmaxwell]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

I hate that my kids have to sit on the bus so long, but it works out well schedule-wise. We all leave the house at 6:30am am and the kids get home just before me at 4:30pm.

That's borderline criminal. Not on you, but the school district. Kids don't need ten hour school days.

I'm in the same area. HCS failed us when they moved the middle school students out of Providence but never bothered to add another middle school. My daughter has one more year at Providence. We are looking at sending to to Limestone CO once she reaches middle school, as Williams is just too far away.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

My kids ride the bus. My daughter has a 90-minute bus ride from Capshaw and County Line Road to Williams. My son has about a 45-minute bus ride from the same location to Providence.

Man, that's a LONG time spent on the bus to and from school. That sorta tells me we need more schools closer together, and closer to you. They're may actually be some closer but gerrymandering causes you to have to travel an excessive distance.