Fulton Schools Needs SPLOST Funding to Make Improvements

The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that helps fund Fulton County Schools has been in place since 1997, but unless it's approved by voters again on Nov. 8, it could end next year, causing a giant funding gap for the school system.

The $913 million education SPLOST has been the source of funding for capital improvement needs within the county for over a decade. Under SPLOST - a one-cent sales tax - new schools are built, renovations on existing schools are completed, technology is advanced, buses are purchased, security is put in place and, finally, furniture and equipment are upgraded.

But, perhaps just as significantly, the sales tax revenue also goes to service bond debt, which was the primary method of funding capital needs prior to 1997, according to Fulton County Schools Board of Education Chairwoman Linda Schultz.

"Everybody, including visitors to Atlanta, help fund our schools through the sales tax," she told Patch. "It is an alternative to using property tax to fund capital needs."

Though some have an issue with SPLOST funding in general, without this latest five-year SPLOST IV, local public school funding would only be possible through a bond referendum and increased property taxes, according to Shultz.

"The sales tax is a pay-as-you-go method that does not incur interest," she said. "The sales tax is applied to the entire county, so Fulton County Schools benefits from visitors to the city of Atlanta."

Within Roswell, elementary and middle school overcrowding is an issue that the county hopes to resolve with new schools and/or additions funded by SPLOST. Another issue faced by most Fulton County Schools, including those within the Roswell area, is a lag in technological advancements.

"Fulton is behind other school systems in our use of technology to improve learning," said Shultz. "Not only can we achieve cost efficiencies with upgrades, but we can individualize student learning."

It's an issue SPLOST is set to fund.

Fulton County Schools staff, Samantha Evans, helps identify some specific immediate needs in Roswell:

• which opened in 1990 has roof top air conditioning units serving assembly areas such as the gym, auditorium (a 1995 addition)and cafeteria, while water source heat pumps serve the classrooms. According to several industry groups, including the American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers, the life expectancy of a roof top unit is 15 years and the life expectancy of water source heat pumps is 19 years. We have had to replace some of the roof top units and replace increasing numbers of compressors on the water source heat pumps. Parts are becoming harder to find and breakdowns are becoming more common so it is important that we replace the major components of the HVAC system during the next five years.
• was opened in 1973 and received its first large addition in 1989. It has mostly original air-conditioning equipment and it will receive a new HVAC system that will provide reliable temperature control in all classrooms.
• and Holcomb Bridge Middle School each opened in 1983 and had large classroom additions in 1989. These buildings had some components of their HVAC systems replaced during SPLOST 1, but need major overhauls to ensure that reliable temperature control is provided for all classrooms.
• which opened in 1976 will be replaced because the repair cost projections are high. It will be replaced with a new school that meets current educational specifications and has reliable temperature control in all classrooms.

For a full list of Roswell area improvements, see the attached PDF.

"These needs will not go away," said Shultz.

If the SPLOST is not given an approval vote in Novemember, it will expire June 30, 2012.