Gwinnett County Schools outlines five-year capital plan, asks voters to continue 1% sales tax

Patrick Burke, a representative of Gwinnett County Public Schools, presented the district's updated five-year capital plan and the November referendum to continue the county'wide 1% sales tax commonly called East Plus or SPLOST.

Burke said the capital plan covers "everything students and staff see and use every day," from school buses and building systems to safety equipment, classroom technology and furniture. He described the November ballot item as a continuation of the existing tax, not a new property tax, and said the revenue is dedicated to capital expenditures rather than salaries or general-fund operating costs.

The presentation highlighted uses the district has funded with the sales tax: purchasing about 100 new buses per year since 2018 (including standard air conditioning, backup cameras, illuminated stop arms and cross mirrors), security investments such as cameras and vestibules, and learning-space renovations that added classrooms and collaborative areas. Burke said the district has begun piloting weapons-detection systems in middle and high schools as "an additional layer of safety and security." He noted the district budgets for both planned renewals (roofs, HVAC, electrical, fire-alarm systems) and unplanned emergency replacements.

Budget figures presented to the council included a projected total of about $1.47 billion from the referendum, with roughly $1.44 billion allocated to Gwinnett County Public Schools; the presentation also described one proposed new centrally located Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) facility and continued investments in CTAE pathways across the district.

Burke emphasized that East Plus is a consumption tax shared by all who shop in Gwinnett County and that SPLOST funds must be used for capital items. He told the council that detailed, cluster- and school-level investment information is available on the district's website.

How the council discussed it: Council members asked about local projects (for example, roof replacement at Norcross High School and playground upgrades) and whether digital reader boards were included; Burke said digital boards are outside the SPLOST specification and are typically funded by individual schools. He also confirmed that the district plans to remove approximately 700 trailers countywide over time and described the district's preventive-maintenance program to extend asset life.

Provenance: Topic intro: transcript 00:01:00 ("Thank you so much this evening for this time. We're here to present information about our updated 5 year capital plan and then the November East Plus referendum.")

Topic finish: transcript 00:16:40 ("Ultimately our taxpayers decide on November 4.")