The Polk County Board of Education gave their thumbs up during their August regular session to move forward with asking voters to approve of extending the Education-only Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) well past when it was to expire in 2026.

With projects from the past two referendums now completed, the Board of Education voted to approve getting the countywide referendum on the ballot this November for municipal elections seeking a new round of funding for the seventh time in several enhancement projects for all campuses.

Along with the unanimous vote to seek the referendum this fall, the Board of Education also unanimously passed a memorandum of understanding with the County to pay the Board of Elections for the cost of opening all seven precincts in what usually is an off-year election for city positions.

This round of E-SPLOST funding has several repair projects for each campus, but the bigger ticket projects will be a Rockmart High School Fine Arts wing, and new artificial turf for each high school’s football fields.

The total amount being sought for the projects is not to exceed $25 million in bond sales, and the proceeds of penny sales tax collections from the E-SPLOST would go to pay back the bonds over a schedule of several years.

SPLOST in recent years has been used to pay for a variety of upgrades within the system to positive effect, including new weight room facilities at Rockmart High School and gym renovations, a new press box on their football field, additional storage and restroom facilities outdoors at Rockmart High and Middle Schools, the new Agriculture Education facility at Rockmart High School, the Polk County College and Career Academy campus and a new Fine Arts Wing at Cedartown High School, a drainage project at the CHS softball field, technology upgrades, buses, equipment and much more.

If voters approve the measure on this November’s ballot, the E-SPLOST extension would carry penny sales tax collections on every purchase up to 2031.

Check back for additional coverage of what’s coming up on the ballot later this week.