Cash-strapped Catoosa County Public Schools could use a sales tax boost from a big store such as Costco.
“Every dollar that’s spent there means we would get a penny,” said Board of Education Chairman Don Dycus.
“Those pennies (from the county’s local education sales tax) add up significantly. I would expect it would be a major contributor,” he said.
The school system stands to gain as much as $1.35 million a year on $135 million a year in sales, which is what Costco CEO Richard Galanti says would be expected from such a store.
Fort Oglethorpe officials have not confirmed that “Project Hilltop” at Cloud Springs Road and Interstate 75 involves a Costco. Talks are continuing, officials have said.
School Superintendent Denia Reese said the special education sales tax is important for capital projects.
“In addition to new schools and classrooms, ESPLOST pennies fund routine maintenance, including (heat and air conditioning) and roofing, technology purchases and new buses,” Mrs. Reese said. “Increased retail sales take the full burden of education from the local taxpayer because everyone who shops, eats, or buys gas in Catoosa County is contributing to improving schools.”
This week, Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Ronnie Cobb said he has oral approval from the state for a traffic light at the intersection of Cloud Springs and Scruggs roads.
Written approval for the light and the relocation of a few power lines are two of the last hurdles for the project to clear, Mr. Cobb said.
“It’s moving at a snail’s pace, but it’s actually moving,” he said.
BY THE NUMBERSIf a big store such as Costco Wholesale had $135 million in annual sales, taxes on those sales would be shared as follows:* State: $5.4 million* County: $4.05 million* Schools: $1.35 millionSource: Catoosa County
An injection of sales tax money would help considerably, but it won’t answer all the needs, school board member Billy Joe McDaniel said.
Catoosa’s schools are $15 million to $18 million in the hole from cuts over the last several years, he said. This year, the system faces a $2 million shortfall that could grow by another $1 million with more state cuts, he said.
The system owes about $30 million on the new Heritage High School and could need to build an elementary school soon, he said.
The county’s ESPLOST cycle is up for renewal next year, he said. If taxpayers vote yes, most of the money it raises could go to construction projects, he added.