On Sept. 16, 2008, voters in the City of Marietta and throughout Cobb County approved the SPLOST renewal in a special election by a vote of 21,859 (a 60.8 percent approval rating). The third SPLOST term ran from Jan. 1, 2009 through Dec. 31, 2013, and was expected to collect $797.6 million for the Cobb School District and $59 million for Marietta City Schools.

SPLOST is a countywide, one-cent tax on all consumer goods that must be approved by voters in a referendum and is in effect for five years. The first education SPLOST, approved in 1998, collected $529.9 million for Cobb and $38.8 million for Marietta. On September 13, 2003, voters in the City of Marietta and throughout Cobb County overwhelming supported the SPLOST renewal, passing the measure with a nearly 80 percent approval rating. The second SPLOST term ran from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2008. SPLOST II was expected to collect $636.5 million for Cobb and $47 million for Marietta. The third SPLOST term ran from Jan. 1, 2009 through Dec. 31, 2013, and was expected to collect $59 million for Marietta City Schools.

SPLOST III Budget/Expenditures