Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

Falkville Town Council has authorized Town Attorney Larry Madison to seek an Attorney General’s opinion on whether or not it has the authority to raise local taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel.

The move was made at a regular council meeting on Feb. 7 as a follow-up to a work session discussion on the matter on Jan. 31.

“We’re thinking seriously about adjusting fuel rates because of our need for additional revenue to maintain our streets,” said Mayor Ken Winkles. “The taxes we currently collect are equal to or lower than what other municipalities in our area collecting.”

“But we don’t want to go there until we know an increase is within our authority,” he pointed out.

Falkville currently collects two cents tax per gallon on gasoline purchased inside the town limits and one cent inside its police jurisdiction. It collects a one-cent tax on diesel purchased inside the city and one-half cent inside the PJ.

Hartselle’s tax on gasoline is two cents per gallon and its tax on diesel is one cent. Decatur collects two cents per gallon on gasoline and two cents on diesel purchased inside its corporate limits. Priceville has a three-cent tax on gasoline and a one-cent tax on diesel purchased inside its corporate limits.

In a related matter, Winkles reported that the Association