Patch Poll: 75% Back School Sales Tax

The responses to show that a DeKalb County education sales tax referendum would pass on Nov. 8 -- but it wouldn't be a runaway victory.

The online poll showed that 52 respondents (75 percent) said they would vote in favor of an education special local option sales tax, known as SPLOST.

Thirty-nine (23 percent) would vote against it. One respondent had no opinion.

Voting on the poll started Tuesday morning and ended at 7 p.m. Wedesday.

(In contrast, a Patch Poll on Sunday sales was much more popular and decisive. That poll showed 168 readers said they would vote in favor of Sunday sales, five would vote against and one had no opinion.)

The education sales tax would start July 1, 2012, last five years and be used for capital projects for school systems within DeKalb County. That includes the City Schools of Decatur, the DeKalb County School System and the section of Atlanta City Schools in DeKalb.

Since it's a county sales tax, it has to be approved throughout the county -- not just in one system.

The Decatur Schools project list says new SPLOST would be used to pay for school repairs, especially at ; to make equipment purchases; and to acquire, possibly through lease-purchase, new , including parking.

According to the DeKalb County School System's project list, the SPLOST would be used to expand and renovate Avondale Middle School into a K-12 comprehensive arts school. Avondale Elementary would also be renovated.