Feature Story

By Trudy Helmsing

Lagniappe staff

Tim Griffin has spent his whole life living and working outside of the Mobile city limits and is happy to stay that way. Even though the annexation of four areas of West Mobile between Cody and Schillinger Roads brings promises city services will be provided to west Mobile, Griffin is concerned the real reason for the new additions is strictly a business opportunity for Mobile to find new tax revenues.

Griffin, who lives in Tillman’s Corner and works on Schillinger Road, isn’t especially swayed by the services being dangled in front of prospective new citizens. These services include faster emergency response times for the fire and police departments, free garbage pickup, paved streets, better drainage systems and new parks

However, Griffin feels the services already provided to the area by the county are just as good, if not better, than what the city would provide.

“If there’s an emergency, I can just call the sheriff’s office right down the road and get help in no time,” he said, adding that he is concerned that once the area is annexed, it will actually take longer for police to arrive.

The general attitude of some Schillinger residents and business owners is that they moved out of the city for a reason and therefore don’t see the need to be a part of it.

“Most people move out of the city to avoid a lot of the complications the city has,” said local resident, Ruth Cutting. “Businesses open here to avoid the high taxes. [With annexation] sooner or later, prices are going to go up.”

With these rising taxes, some business owners are concerned about where the money would actually go. Betty Freeman, owner of Health Nut on Schillinger Road said she wouldn’t be surprised if the money brought in from the newly annexed area went to other parts of the city.

Cutting agreed, saying she also feels the main reason the city wants to annex the areas is for money, not to give them needed help.

“There are already enough problems not getting fixed,” she said, mentioning potholes in the roads and education issues.

Like Griffin, Freeman also feels police protection will actually suffer if the areas are annexed.

“Police protection is the main thing we are concerned about. We already have a police precinct out here. I would be surprised if we had more protection once annexed,” she said, adding that, in general, Mobile needs twice as many police officers as there are currently.

Laura Denton, owner of Baby Boomers on Schillinger Road is fine with the areas being annexed except for one concern. She feels the educational system will suffer due to the changes that will be made to the sales tax system.

Taxes are currently set at 7.5 percent with .5 percent going to the school system. Once the area is annexed, taxes would increase to 9 percent with none of the money going to the school system.

Denton explained that if Super Wal-Mart takes in $1 million a week in taxes, that would be $5,000 a week paid in taxes to the school system, which would add up to $260,000 a year. Once annexed, that money will no longer go to the school system. With so many big businesses like Super Wal-Mart in the Schillinger Road area, it is the main corridor where the schools get their .5 percent.

“The new police protection and fire protection is great. But, I wouldn’t be surprised if the school system loses a million dollars a year,” Denton said. “Is the city going to be prepared to make up for the money that will be lost?”

In the past, attempts to incorporate these areas of West Mobile into the city have been unsuccessful. If opinions have changed, it is not obvious.

“As Mobile grows, it will have to incorporate areas.” Griffin said. “People still have to have a voice. We’ve said twice we don’t want a part of it.”

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