EDlection2018: Georgia Voters Approve Amendment Empowering Large School Districts to Call Vote on New Sales Tax
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EDlection2018: This is one of several dozen races that could go on to influence state or federal education policy. Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox; sign up for The 74 Newsletter.
Georgia voters an amendment to the state Constitution Tuesday that alters the way school districts can drive education funding.
allows the largest school district, or districts, in a county to call a vote to levy a 1 percent sales tax for education purposes 鈥� without smaller school districts’ approval. The previous setup required consensus among all districts.
The measure was approved, 71 percent to 29 percent, with 82 percent of precincts reporting, according to
The change is only relevant to counties that have more than one public school system within them, such as the city of Atlanta鈥檚 school system and Fulton County Public Schools. Without this amendment, smaller districts were able to 鈥渉old the larger districts hostage鈥� on a possible referendum in hopes of securing more tax proceeds, state .
Districts will still split generated tax revenue based on student enrollment, unless otherwise agreed upon. The sales tax could not be imposed for more than five years.
EDlection2018: This is one of several dozen races that could go on to influence state or federal education policy. Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox; sign up for The 74 Newsletter.
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Taylor Swaak is a correspondent at The 74, focused on the coronavirus pandemic, its impact on student learning, and how the Washington, D.C. region is approaching the many urgent challenges caused by the public health emergency.
taylor@the74million.org