VALDOSTA — Both school systems have big plans when it comes to what the next E-SPLOST tax will fund.

E-SPLOST VI would run from October 2022 to September 2027. A special election for the next proposed E-SPLOST is scheduled for March 19.

E-SPLOST stands for education special purpose local option sales tax.

For Lowndes County Schools, the next E-SPLOST would mean making much-needed improvements to three schools: Clyattville Elementary School, Lake Park Elementary School and Lowndes Middle School.

“Clyattville, Lake Park and Lowndes Middle are three of our oldest schools,” Lowndes schools Superintendent Wes Taylor said. “We don’t know the exact design details yet, but they will be replacement schools.”

Both elementary schools date back to the 1950s, while Lowndes Middle is just a decade younger. These school improvements are part of the system’s five-year facility plan, Taylor said.

Valdosta City Schools would use the money to pay off the new Valdosta High School.

“We have a debt we have to retire,” Valdosta school superintendent Dr. Todd Cason said. “SPLOST VI will afford us that opportunity to retire a portion of that debt.”

Cason said even E-SPLOST VII will be needed to retire the bond debt from the new high school. Because of that, Cason said he does not expect to have extra “spend as you go” money for line items such as technology, heating-ventilationair-conditioning upgrades or transportation.

“It depends on the collections,” Cason said. “If we have good SPLOST collections during that time, we may have more ‘spend as you go’ money.”

However, Taylor said the county school system has a plan to use SPLOST VI money for line items, including continuing its new security system that controls access and gives all visitors badges.

“That was something that was a priority last year to have a controlled, secured access in all of our schools,” Taylor said.

The best part about E-SPLOST is more than half of the people that pay into it aren’t local to Valdosta and Lowndes County, Taylor said.

“The sales tax is paid by everyone who shops or spends the night or buys gas or eats out in Valdosta and Lowndes County, which includes numerous visitors from surrounding communities and those traveling up and down I-75,” Taylor said.

The special election allows voters living in District 2 of Valdosta City Schools — from Pineview Drive, south to Old Statenville Road, and from Oak Street, east to Forrest Street with the exception of the neighborhood that includes Stillwater and Brookwood, south to Alley Street — to select a new City Schools board member once held by Vanassa Flucas.

Though Election Day is at the precincts from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., March 19, early voting starts three weeks before at the Elections Office, 2808 N. Oak St. 

The early voting dates include:

• 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Feb. 25-March 1.

• 8 a.m.-5 p.m., March 4-8.

• 7 a.m.-7 p.m., March 11-15.

The Lowndes County Board of Elections said residents must be registered to vote at least 30 days before Election Day. 

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.