Norcross Voters Split on E-SPLOST

Voters in Gwinnett County decide today on a continuation of the one-penny sales tax to support education, or . At the local county voting precinct at residents were split on the issue.

Residents Ron and Shelby Horn voted in favor of extending the sales tax. They said their daughter is a school teacher, so they see how much the tax is needed—and they’re afraid real estate taxes would just go up if the measure is not passed. 

Patricia Davis also voted yes because she sees the direct benefit to her son, who is in Gwinnett County Schools. 

Mary Hightower voted against E-SPLOST, saying that she’s simply against any rise in taxes with the state of the economy. “We all have to cut,” she said. “These taxes are always supposed to be temporary but they’re not.”

Mike McGinnis said he is in favor of the E-SPLOST because it is leveraged across the board on sales. “I guess you could say I’m for a Fair Tax,” he said. “And I figure if I don’t do it they’ll just raise my property taxes.”

A few residents said they were against the education SPLOST because  of the wastefulness of the county education system. “If they could trim the waste, they could get the same amount,” said Pierre Levy as he exited the polls. 

For a list of projects the tax would find in local schools, .