The Baldwin County School District has been able to make dramatic improvements to our school system thanks to the funding from ESPLOST.  These funds have brought with it upgrades to every single facility in the school district. Improvements and renovations in phase I include having entire schools repainted, new flooring installed, gymnasiums renovated, security upgrades technology infrastructure upgrades, new technology for students and teachers, and new school buses. The security upgrades being installed at each school will consist of new secure vestibules where visitors will directed to check in with staff in the main office before gaining access to the rest of the school.  

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the citizens of Baldwin County for voting to extend ESPLOST for another five years. The passage of this ESPLOST is a strong demonstration of your continued support of our schools.

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WHAT IS SPLOST?

SPLOST stands for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. This is a 1% sales tax on any product bought within Baldwin County.

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WHAT CAN EDUCATIONAL SPLOST BE USED FOR?

Funding from SPLOST for Education is able to help the school district build new schools, improve the infrastructure of existing schools, and purchase new technology and any other capital needed.

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WILL MY PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE?

No. SPLOST will not cause your property taxes to increase. SPLOST is a consumption tax that is applied to retail purchases. Through SPLOST, those who do not own property in Baldwin County will also contribute to the school system through this retail tax.

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DO MY PROPERTY TAXES PAY FOR THIS?

Around 90% of the operating budget, which comes from property taxes and state funding, goes to pay the salaries of our teachers, administrators, bus drivers, food service employees, and other staff that make running a school system possible. The other 10% is used for textbooks and utilities. SPLOST will fund the capital needs of the school system.

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The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is a 1% sales tax on any taxed purchases in Baldwin County. This tax can be used to either pay off General Obligation Bonds or used directly for specific capital projects for educational purposes.

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If voters approve the referendum, the benefits of the SPLOST for Education tax will be seen throughout the schools through the capital projects.

These capital projects can include building new schools, improving the infrastructure of existing schools, and purchasing technology, infrastructure, computing devices, and busses.

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Before SPLOST, bonds were issued to fund capital projects. These bonds were repaid from property taxes. SPLOST is not incurred by property owners alone. This “penny tax” will be paid by anyone who shops in Baldwin County, including visitors.