Fulton voters

will head to the polls March 19 to decide if the county's special puropose

local option sales tax should be extended another five years.

If voters approve

the measure, more than $600 million could be flowing into the county for

construction and addition projects.

Last week,

the Fulton County Board of Education approved calling for the vote. For

the next three months, residents will hear how the money would benefit

their communities. South Fulton residents could see construction projects

headed their way.

Current projections

show the school system growing by nearly 12,000 students in the next five

years. One of the interesting trends is the growth in South Fulton.

"For the

last few years, most of the new school construction has been in north

Fulton, because that's where the growth has been. But our projections

show new construction from this SPLOST would be evenly split," said

Michael Vanairsdale, assistant superintendent for support services.

School officials

said a continuation of the penny sales tax would build 10 new schools,

including two high schools and four middle schools.

Additionally,

the school system would do extensive renovation at all of its existing

schools.

Vanairsdale

said the school system also is contemplating adding administrative facilities,

but board members will ultimately decide what goes on the list.

The current

SPLOST expires next June, and Vanairsdale said the system has collected

about $490 million for capital projects.