When to say enough on Coweta ESPLOST

This November, the Coweta County School Board is asking voters to approve an Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST). If approved, this would be the seventh consecutive ESPLOST initiative collecting nearly a billion dollars with this one approved to collect an additional $276 million.

Voters can see the potential projects on the Coweta County School System (CCSS) website or by following this link. 2025 ESPLOST Project List – Google Docs

Some will remember that I started my time on these pages as chairman of Fayette Citizens for Children an advocacy group that supported the first three ESPLOSTs approved in Fayette County after the first one was defeated. Fayette is currently on their fourth ESPLOST.

When I first got involved, we proved that every project was necessary building maintenance, replacing buses that were over twenty years old, acquiring technology which became the cornerstone of the “classroom of the future”, updating aging textbooks, and paying down bond debt.

Subsequent ESLOSTs continued maintaining buildings, upgrading technology and eventually less vital projects made the list. ESPLOST III gave us a new Middle School that was not disclosed before the vote and now ESPLOST IV has produced millions for tennis complexes for each of the five high schools even though Peachtree City has a world class tennis  facility. 

When we look at CCSS ESPLOST VII (7) we see dollars assigned to some of the schools, although the projects are not defined. Over $125 million is allocated for technology with $21 Million for student chromebooks for a system over 22,000 students. That is almost $1,000 per chromebook which seems high, especially before any volume discount.

But what got my attention was the three “covered practice facilities” at each high school estimated at $4.9 Million apiece or nearly $15 million total. In addition, each high school baseball facility is slated to get more than $2 million each or over six million dollars in total. 

As the father of a former high school athlete, I appreciate the taxpayers picking up the tab instead of boosters selling concessions, bricks, candy bars, wrapping papers or washing cars to raise even a fraction of these amounts. But is it fair to the taxpayer?

Especially when the Coweta taxpayer already pays county taxes that apply to recreation facilities, and it is unlikely the public will be welcome to use these new facilities that they (we) are paying for through the ESPLOST.

High level math says the average family will pay between $100 –$300 a year in ESPLOST as even online purchases are subject to the tax. With almost a billion dollars (or a hundred billion pennies) already invested,I wonder if it is time to take a break from the ESPLOST and give all taxpayers a break. After all, over 62% of Coweta voters said they wanted tax relief on the HB 581 question, only to be vetoed by the Coweta County School Board. 

It is clear we have answered many “needs” for the time being and have moved to “wants” or nice to have projects. We can always bring the ESPLOST back later when the schools can demonstrate a need for additional funds. 

Some will argue it is easier to keep renewing the ESPLOST, but is it “Special” if it is permanent? Others may argue if the ESPLOST is defeated, that the public does not “support public education”. However, I think there is a difference between supporting public education and a bonfire of money because we have it.

Get the facts and decide for yourself, I will be voting no. Six ESPLOSTs and nearly a billion dollars earn taxpayers a break.