FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – On July 20, the Forsyth County Board of Education unanimously approved an education special purpose local option sales tax (E-SPLOST) referendum resolution that will be voted on in November.

The millage rate will remain at 17.30 where it has been the last five years but rising home values will add about 2 percent to homeowners’ tax bill. With the inflation rate at a 13-year high, prices rising at the gas pump, the grocery store and the real estate market and tax payers’ growing resentment of the Board of Education, E-SPLOST VI may have to travel a very bumpy road until November.

Voters have approved the last five E-SPLOST referendums, but the economic climate was never this bad nor the Board of Education’s approval rating this low.

Hundreds of taxpayers — furious about the school system’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policy –have flooded the Board of Education meeting room for months seeking to have the school board end the policy they believe indoctrinates students with a Marxist/socialist philosophy. State Representative Sheri Gilligan called the policy “division, exclusion and intimidation.”

DEI opponents are talking about mounting a recall effort and forming a “NO E-SPLOST” coalition. Others are quietly preparing to challenge the two Board members — Wes McCall and Kristin Morrissey – who are up for reelection next year.

The Board has not completed its E-SPLOST VI project list, but capital projects that could be funded include $25,000,000 for “life cycle upgrades” and $38,000,000 for a new elementary school to replace Midway Elementary.

This is how the ballot referendum will appear on the ballot:

Shall a 1 percent sales and use tax for the educational purposes of the Forsyth County School District be re-imposed within Forsyth County upon the termination of the one percent sales and use tax for educational purposes presently in effect for a maximum period of time of 20 calendar quarters for the purposes of providing funds to pay (1) the cost of (a) acquiring, constructing and installing one new elementary school to replace an existing elementary school, (b) acquiring land for future schools and other facilities, instructional and administrative technology improvements (including without limitation) necessary software and student and staff laptop devices), school buses, other vehicles and transportation equipment and safety and security equipment (c) adding to renovating, repairing and improving and equipping existing school buildings and other buildings and facilities useful or desirable in connection therewith, and (d) acquiring any necessary property therefor, both real and personal all at a maximum cost of $25,000,000 and (2) the cost of retiring a portion of the School District’s General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2013, General Obligation Bonds, Series 2016, General Obligation, Series 2018, and General Obligation Bonds, Series 2020 (or any general obligation bonds issued to refund such bonds) by paying or making provision for the payment of any portion of the principal and interest of such bonds coming due on August 1, 2023 through August 1,2026 in the maximum amount of $50,000,000.