Guilford County voters have approved a quarter-cent local sales tax aimed at boosting teacher pay.
The tax will mean shoppers pay an extra quarter on every $100 of eligible purchases.
Officials estimate it will bring in roughly $30 million annually — 70% of which will go toward teacher salary supplements. Guilford County Board of Education officials have said increasing those supplements would allow the district to better recruit and retain high-quality educators.
Eyanna Davis was one of a few voters at the polls on Election Day who said they supported the tax.
"I have a lot of younger siblings, and they like learning, and I don't want that to be stripped away from them because the teachers can't afford to live," Davis said.
Another voter, John Haught, felt the same way.
"I know teachers that know food scarcity, which is just wrong," he said.
Guilford County has tried and failed to pass the tax several times before. But this election, the ballot language specified how the revenue would be distributed.
In addition to teacher supplements, 18% of the tax revenue will go toward firefighter equipment, 8% is for Guilford Technical Community College, and the rest will support five municipalities.
Nearly 63% of voters supported the tax.