St. Clair County places 5‑mill Ragland school tax on May ballot

The St. Clair County Commission voted to place a 5‑mill school tax for the Ragland School Attendance and Tax District on the May ballot, approving Resolution 202619 at a regular meeting.

County staff said the tax—if approved by voters—would fund operations that help keep Ragland High School open. The commission also adopted a companion resolution that staff described as an acknowledgement of the county’s authority to abate or reduce the tax if the school were to close.

Mayor Jessup, representing the town of Ragland, thanked the commission for putting the measure before voters and asked citizens to consider the ballot question on May 19. Representatives of the Ragland school board told commissioners they support the measure and emphasized community impacts and student continuity if the tax is approved.

The commission approved the resolutions by voice votes. Meeting remarks and staff materials described the proposal as a request from the St. Clair County Board of Education; the formal ballot question and the exact use of proceeds were presented to the commission as part of the board’s request.

What happens next: The measure will appear on the May ballot for voters who reside in the Ragland School Attendance and Tax District. If the tax passes, the companion resolution the commission adopted indicates the commission understands it has the legal authority to reduce or abate the tax later if circumstances require it.

Votes and procedural note: The transcript records motions, seconds and voice votes to place the measure on the ballot; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the meeting record provided.