HAVE A VOICE - VOTE MAY 19TH
ESPLOST is NOT a new or additional tax; It is a RENEWAL.
ESPLOST is a 1¢ consumption tax charged on goods and services (gas, groceries, restaurants, hotels, etc.) purchased in Bryan County, regardless of what state or county individuals reside.
ESPLOST is NOT a property tax. Everyone who makes a purchase in Bryan County, including visitors, contributes to the support of local schools.
This tax is a continuation of the 1¢ sales tax already in place and has been approved by Bryan County citizens in 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, & 2022.
By law, ESPLOST can only be used for the items listed and approved by the voters themselves and cannot be used to pay salaries.
If approved, ESPLOST would extend what is already in place, for another 5 year period or until the maximum amount approved by the voters is collected.
Without ESPLOST funds, the school district would have to consider other funding options to address capital improvement needs and associated growth.
As a high growth school system, Bryan County Schools uses ESPLOST to pay debt services (principal & interest) on past and future bonds sold to construct new schools.
Bryan County Schools has grown 36% since 2012, and if the same rate of growth continues, student enrollment could increase approximately 4,000 students by 2036. ESPLOST spreads the tax burden to others, including non-Bryan County residents, rather than falling solely on property owners in Bryan County.