Pierce County voters will be asked to renew its Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) in the November 4 General Election.
The call for election is included in the public notices in this week’s edition.
The board of education unanimously approved the call for the referendum at their August work session.
The ESPLOST referendum will seek to extend the one cent sales tax currently in place. The current ESPLOST was approved in March, 2021 and collections began July 1, 2022.
The tax was to be in effect until June 30, 2027 or until the tax collected $13 million, whichever comes first. Projections are the tax will reach the $13 million collection by December of 2026, almost six months earlier than projected. The projected early sunset of the tax led to the board calling for the election to extend ESPLOST.
The current ESPLOST includes $6 million to be paid toward the $19 million new Pierce County High School opened in 2020.
The ESPLOST extension is projected to generate $25 million over the next five years beginning January 1, 2027. Funds from the proposed extension of the ESPLOST will go toward retiring the high school construction bonds.
Proceeds will also e used for various improvements to all school campuses and the central office, security needs, instructional materials, school buses and maintenance equipment.
The ESPLOST referendum will be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot along with municipal elections in Blackshear and Patterson and a pair of statewide special general elections for two public service commission seats.
Deadline to register to vote will be Monday, October 6.
Early voting will start Tuesday, October 14 and continue through Friday, October 31. Saturday voting will be held October 18 and 25. Early voting will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, including the two Saturdays. There will be no early voting Monday, Oct. 13 due to the Columbus Day holiday and there will be no early voting Monday, Nov. 3.
Polls will be open election day from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
