Gwinnett Co. votes to extend SPLOST for transportation, education projects

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Voters in Gwinnett County decided to extend a 1 cent sales tax to fund major transportation, public safety and school safety projects on Tuesday.

The vote was decided by only about 37,000 voters, 9.2 percent of registered voters.

The three-year Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) is expected to generate nearly $500 million. Seventy percent of that will go to fund transportation projects like roads, bridges and sidewalks. The rest will go to public safety projects, including a $5 million upgrade for a school emergency notification system.

“They have built libraries that wouldn’t have been there and improved police and fire services, I think it’s worth it for a penny,” voter Lucille Fuchs said.

"I actually came because I feeel taxes are too high and people need to think it through before they vote for any tax," voter Bob Ward said.

The money generated by the tax will help pay for security at schools, as well as construction projects.

In Clayton County, residents voted to extend the penny Education SPLOST tax. It is expected to bring in $280 million for education construction, textbooks and mobile devices.

WSBTV