Politics & Government

ESPLOST IV on Tuesday's Ballot

Gwinnett County voters to decide whether to extend one-cent education sales tax for five years.

Peachtree Corners, Berkeley Lake and other Gwinnett County voters will decide Tuesday whether to extend a one-cent tax for five years to fund future educational improvements in Gwinnett County Public Schools. ESPLOST IV would address classroom and technology needs through 2017.

ESPLOST III, the current SPLOST for schools, will expire June 30, 2012. Since 1997 GCPS has benefitted from a special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) for education that has provided students with thousands of needed classrooms in 46 new schools and dozens of school additions, as well as technology improvements essential to teaching and learning, according to information provided by the school system. The Gwinnett County Board of Education voted to place the sales tax extension on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Proposed improvements under ESPLOST IV include:

Find out what's happening in Peachtree Cornerswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Norcross Cluster Schools:

Peachtree Elementary, Gym AC, Kitchen AC, Energency efficiency upgrades

Find out what's happening in Peachtree Cornerswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Simpson Elementary, Gym AC, Energey efficiency upgrades

Pinckneyville Middle, Gym AC, Kitchen AC, Energency efficiency upgrades

Norcross High School, Gym AC, Energency efficiency upgrades

Duluth Cluster Schools:

Berkeley Lake Elementary, Gym AC, Kitchen AC, Energy efficiency upgrades

Duluth Middle, Gym AC, Energy efficiency upgrades

Duluth High, HVAC improvements, Gym AC, Energy efficiency upgrades

Monarch School, Convert to new Duluth Cluster middle school

Additionally, ESPLOST !V would fund technology improvements systemwide to support teaching and learning and systemwide facility modifications, renovations, modernizations, energy conservation upgrades, and infrastructure improvements through 2017. See the pdf accompanying this article for aΒ  complete list of projects proposed to be funded through ESPLOST IV.

The GCPS website lists these key facts regarding ESPLOST IV:

  • Anticipated revenue of $876 million (By law, Buford will get $17.1 million based on their student enrollment for its city school system, leaving GCPS with $858.9 million.)
  • Projects include five new schools, one bus facility, and nine additions and renovations.
  • Also included is air conditioning for all middle and high school gyms and all elementary activity buildings, along with all kitchens that currently do not have air conditioning.
  • Significant technology upgrades including retrofits for all schools and infrastructure support and digital content to expand the walls of the classroom and make learning more engaging and relevant to today's world.
  • Facility improvements to address preventive maintenance that has been postponed due to budget cuts (roofing, painting, carpeting, etc.)

ESPLOST III provided 16 new schools, three replacement schools, and additions to two schools. Three new clusters were established: Lanier, Mountain View and Archer.

Peachtree Corners and Berkeley Lake voters will vote in their regular Gwinnett County precincts on ESPLOST IV. Locate your precinct and polling location by visiting the Georgia Secretary of State's Poll Locator. Photo identification is required to vote in both elections. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.


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