Key Stakeholder Meeting Dates
March - June: public meetings on Secondary School Facility Planning and Feasibility Study
July - September: Public meetings on systems and proposed project selection criteria
September: Five regional meetings to discuss draft of project list
Nov. 5: DeKalb Board of Education to discuss detailed project list and schedule
Dec. 7: Board is expected to approve final project list
July 1, 2017: Sales tax collections begin
E-SPLOST history in DeKalb County
The school sales tax has been approved each time it has been voted on since 1997
Where the money went
1997-2002: ($415 million) Constructed ten new schools; added multipurpose buildings at each elementary school; modified existing facilities
2002-2007: ($457 million) Constructed 11 new schools; made modifications across the district including major renovations of ten middle/high schools
2007-2012: ($489 million) Replaced one high school; provided 12 major renovations/additions, and 140 minor renovations
2012-2017: (est. $492 million) Replaced seven elementary schools and two middle/high schools; provided five major renovations/additions; made stadium improvements, technology upgrades, school bus purchases, and capital renewal of many facilities
Proposed allocations for $500 million from proposed 2017 E-SPLOST extension
Safety and Security Improvements$15 million
New Facilities and Additions $230 million
Facility Condition Improvements $100 million
Technology Improvements $65 million
Buses, Vehicles, and Other Capital Equipment $40 million
Management Support and Program Contingency$50 million
Source: DeKalb County School District
DeKalb County officials say a lot is riding on Tuesday’s vote to renew a penny sales tax for schools, with plans to address overcrowded school clusters and renovations of several outdated schools.
Conflict has arisen over the fact that the school district did not provide a list of specific projects the penny sales tax will buy. The Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax will bring in an estimated $500 million, if voters approve it May 24.
Instead, the district provided a list of areas for spending for voters to approve, including safety and security, new facilities and additions, purchasing equipment and expenses related to projects.
The vagueness has some questioning validity of the coming vote, though school officials believe they are on safe legal ground.
Sen. Fran Millar, R-Dunwoody, said the wording of the resolution leaves the district vulnerable for legal challenges, citing stipulations in the state constitution that call for specific projects, costs and timelines for completion.
“All they’ve done is give six categories. It’s a terrible precedent to be setting,” he said. “I think the superintendent is sincere in his approach, but misguided.
“With DeKalb’s history, I mean, really?”
The district is still rebounding after mismanagement resulted in a $14 million deficit, the removal of the entire board by Gov. Nathan Deal and the near loss of accreditation.
District officials say a list of specific projects is not required for voters to approve, and state officials agree. Districts, including the DeKalb County School District, have used and continue to use broader project lists to achieve buy-in as voters decide whether the money is necessary.
District officials say the broad categories were necessary to stay in line with the past practice of having the vote on the ballot at the same time as neighboring jurisdictions: City Schools of Decatur, Atlanta Public Schools and Fulton County. Both Fulton and Atlanta have provided a list of projects intended for their penny-tax dollars. DeKalb school district officials have said they did not have time to prepare a list of projects ahead of the vote, with the other districts opting to add the resolution to Tuesday’s ballot.
Superintendent Steve Green, who took over the district’s top job last July, has said he wants to include parents and community residents in the decision-making process.
The taxes are critical for schools.
“Without SPLOST, there may be insufficient funding to upgrade safety and security systems, to relieve overcrowding, to purchase educational technology and other capital equipment or to make the major facility improvements needed at existing facilities,” he wrote recently, responding to criticism.
State Department of Audit officials who oversee education penny taxes say the constitution allows for flexibility in naming projects noting some districts will have very detailed lists, while some are more vague.
While projects cannot be added to a list once filed, projects can be taken off for myriad reasons. Districts could pad lists hoping to win approval of voters and later eliminate projects.
Meetings have taken place in DeKalb County in recent months, seeking community input as the district begins compiling a list of potential projects. Last week, in meetings at Dunwoody High in north DeKalb and McNair High in South DeKalb, district officials offered a glimpse of potential projects, including additions to Lakeside and Druid Hills high school and building a new high school in north DeKalb County to alleviate overcrowding.
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