Voters in DeKalb and Fulton counties appeared to favor continuing a penny sales tax estimated to raise nearly $2 billion to fund school improvement projects in those counties and Atlanta.
Early results showed residents voted yes Tuesday to extend the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax by a significant margin. Turnout appeared low, as it has been in past E-SPLOST elections.
If approved, the extension means the two counties will collect money from the tax for school districts through 2022. The current E-SPLOST expires in June 2017.
In Fulton, the E-SPLOST is expected to raise about $976 million over a five-year period for the county school system. Atlanta Public Schools is proposing more than $464 million in E-SPLOST-funded projects. Atlanta schools would get revenue as part of both counties’ tax measures.
In DeKalb, the school sales tax is expected to bring in an estimated $500 million, with plans to use the money to address overcrowded schools and renovations to several outdated schools. City of Decatur schools, in DeKalb, is expected to raise close to $30 million.
Autumn Glover, who voted Tuesday in favor of E-SPLOST at Peace Baptist Church on Covington Highway in DeKalb, said she thinks the tax is important for schools.
“My son is in kindergarten right now,” Glover said. “I want schools to be built and to make sure facilities are well equipped.”
E-SPLOST revenue remains a crucial source for school systems. The money must be spent on debt reduction or capital projects such as new schools, renovations, technology and buses but not on salaries or personnel. The vast majority of the 180 school districts in Georgia have E-SPLOSTs.
Without the taxes, Georgia school districts argue they would likely have to raise property taxes to build schools or buy equipment. The taxes are voted on every five years.
A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of state and federal data show SPLOST-funded new school construction in metro Atlanta follows population growth, which typically takes place in affluent areas, but poorer students even in growing areas can get left behind and not benefit as much from the tax.
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