By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 7, 2025 | Early voting for the November 4 question on whether to continue the one per cent special purpose local option tax for education (E-SPLOST) begins October 14.
In every E-SPLOST vote since 1997, Gwinnett voters seem to understand the financial benefit of having one cent of the sales taxes collection in the county designated for educational purposes. The county has always approved this special one penny tax for education by a wide margin. (See the history of this collection in the accompanying table.)
County voters realize that in a fast-growing county like Gwinnett there will be a continual need for additional capital for school funding. So, it’s either to allow not only Gwinnettians to pay another penny of sales, but to allow all the shoppers who do not live in Gwinnett, to contribute their retail dollars in the county to help us pay for our school infrastructure. Those out-of-towners buying items here make for less taxes on the local citizens by helping to fund our schools through sales taxes.
For years, with a stable elected Board of Education, and an exemplary school superintendent, Gwinnett schools have flourished. They have been recognized as among the best in the United States, even though the system is one of the largest and most diverse school districts in the country. However, in the last few years, with the election of new school board members, this new board has fired two school superintendents before the expiration of their contracts, costing Gwinnett serious money, and now is in the process of hiring another school superintendent, a process that may take up to another year.
This disharmony between the school board members, and the operations of the schools guided by the superintendent, is causing some people to question whether voters will continue to fund much of the school budget through the E-SPLOST program. Some have called loudly to vote “NO” on the question.
We beg to differ from these naysayers.
The current E-SPLOST in three quarters of the year 2025 has provided $742 million to Gwinnett schools. By the end of this year, it will probably bring in close to $1 billion to Gwinnett schools. Should the “No” voters prevail, where is this great amount of revenue going to be pulled from? Even if the School Board had to raise only an additional half a billion dollars, there is no other way to raise the money than through a property tax increase for homeowners and businesses.) This would put an additional burden on the taxpayers of the county. Re-approving the E-SPLOST would avoid having to eventually increase home and commercial taxes.
While we have not been pleased at the antics of our current School Board, voting against the E-SPLOST is something like hitting yourself in the face. Why suffer this way, when an alternative is easier?
The eventual way to improve the direction of the Gwinnett schools is for voters to vote against two of three board members in the fall of 2026. That has a better possibility of keeping Gwinnett’s specific school system among the best in the country. But this November, vote YES to continue E-SPLOST.
Keep Mending: Former School Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks is home and on the mend after undergoing quadruple bypass surgery.
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