Bibb County voters pass $250 million education sales tax

Voters in Bibb County approved the 2025 Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, funding $250 million worth of renovations and technological upgrades for the Bibb County School District.

A total of 19,356 residents voted across Bibb County, with 73.8% of voters approving the ESPLOST and 26.2% of voters voting against it, according to documents obtained from the Bibb County board of elections office.

Of the county’s 100,400 registered voters, 6,911 voted ahead of election day. 

“I’m very happy that it passed,” said Lisa Garrett-Boyd, board member on the Bibb County Board of Education. “We’ve been doing this since 2001 and it’s done a lot to add amazing capital projects to our schools, and it just cost a penny,” 

Garrett-Boyd said the tax will help pay for capital projects that cannot be fully funded by the state or local tax dollars. The tax will also help renew devices for students introduced five years ago during the last ESPLOST.

Garrett-Boyd added she’s also glad the district is able get ahead of building state mandated inclusive playgrounds.

Two seats on the state’s Public Service Commission were also on the ballot. Democrats Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard beat incumbents Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson.

The county’s March SPLOST election drew in 6,250 total voters. 

The school district first started collecting the tax back in 2000 and has since approved an ESPLOST in 2005, 2010, and 2015 and 2021. 

The district spent $53 million of 2021 ESPLOST funds for school renovations, most notably on Springdale Elementary, and $12 million on staff computers and mobile devices. The district also used ESPLOST money for new buses and renovations to Thompson Stadium.

This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available. 

Ali Sulko contributed to the reporting of this article.