In May 2016, Troup County registered voters chose to continue the Education Special Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST). This is the fifth ESPLOST that has been continued in Troup County. ESPLOST is important to our school system and the community because it has made an impact over the last 20 years in our facilities, transportation, safety, security, and technology.
ESPLOST provided funds for new school buildings and facilities while we have updated, renovated, and added classrooms to others. For example, we have touched each area of the school system from Hogansville's campus renovation to West Point's heating and air. Schools have new media center's, cafeteria's, athletic facilities, and classrooms. The ESPLOST dollars have provided the funds to build state-of-the art schools like EKES, CES, FFES, and CVES.
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In addition, we have been able to make all of our buildings and facilities completely wireless; providing a learning environment that is conducive to being college, career, and work ready. Now, with the onset of Covid-19, we have had to shift to technology-driven learning where students and staff have depended on technology. These projects, along with proposed ones, help to build a great sense of pride in our school system.
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ESPLOST has paid for items that would otherwise have to be paid from property taxes. Items such as buses, playgrounds, HVAC systems, building repairs such as leaking roofs, desktop computers, Chromebooks, and Smartboards are all funded through ESPLOST. There would be no way to pay for those items without raising property taxes. (Currently, we have a property tax rate of 18.85 mills and it would require an additional +6.211 mills to cover the cost of items included in all ESPLOST's).
This continuation of the education tax is an investment in our school system and students. Learn more about ESPLOST and its benefit to Troup County by clicking the links below:
History of ESPLOST in Troup County
Videos of ESPLOST projects and how it helps students
Frequently Asked Question Page and Printable Document
Did You Know Informational Pieces
ESPLOST External Audit Report
List of Proposed Projects