Gloucester County voters will decide on the Nov. 3 ballot whether to approve a general retail sales tax not to exceed 1 percent, with proceeds funding school construction and renovation projects.

County residents will begin voting on this referendum as soon as Friday, with requested absentee ballots to be sent out and in-person voting going on at the registrar’s office.

The county’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan includes about $48 million of potentially eligible projects to support the long-term infrastructure needs of public schools in Gloucester County, according to Gloria Williams, the county’s community engagement and public information manager.

Long-term debt would be required to finance the approximately $48 million investment, which over a 20-year period, would cost about $3.5 million per year in debt service, she said.

The $3.5 million per year would equate to about 8 cents on the county’s real estate tax rate, or about 14 years with an additional 1 percent sa...