ICYMI: Education Sales Tax Approved in DeKalb, Decatur

DECATUR, GA -- DeKalb County overwhelmingly voted to renew its one-percent sales tax for schools on Tuesday.

With 111 of 192 precincts fully reported, and others partially in, the "yes" vote had 48,368, compared to 19,409 "no" votes.

The tax is anticipated to bring in about $500 million in DeKalb.

The county plans to use the funds to address school clusters that are overcrowded and renovate several outdated schools.

Under the language on Tuesday's ballot, the funds can be used for safety and security, including enhancing surveillance systems, fire-alarm systems and sprinklers, building new facilities or modifying existing ones, upgrades like roofing, plumbing and painting and buying buses and classroom furniture.

Roofing, heating/air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, ADA accessibility, athletic fields, paving, and restroom improvements will all be funded through SPLOST.

City Schools of Decatur expects to generate $25 million from the one-percent tax.

The city schools have said the funds will go toward paying down debt on previous projects, technology upgrades, new construction and renovations, land acquisition and buying new buses.