Valdosta-Lowndes E-SPLOST approved
Mar. 21—VALDOSTA — Voters approved the E-SPLOST initiative in a special election Tuesday.
The special election results for the referendum vote for a new education special purpose local option sales tax for city and county schools came in late Tuesday.
All registered Lowndes County voters were eligible to cast a ballot for E-SPLOST, a penny on the dollar sales tax that will raise money for projects in both Valdosta and Lowndes County school systems.
The referendum was approved with 71%, with 1,237 votes cast in favor, and 501 votes cast against.
The money will be used for various projects in both school districts. For example, city school officials plan to use E-SPLOST money for: — Replacement and construction of schools, specifically elementary and middle schools. — Additions to classrooms. — Replacing heating ventilation air-conditioning, general repairs to school buildings and properties. — School safety. — Upgrade instructional and administrative technology — infrastructure providing computing devices and software, purchasing textbooks and other learning instruments. — Vocational, physical education and athletic equipment. — School bus maintenance.
The E-SPLOST initiative will go into effect when the current education special purpose local option sales tax ends.
