ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - On Election Day, Dougherty County residents will vote to either approve or deny a “Flexible/Floating Local Option Sales Tax” that would reduce their property taxes.

The 1% increase is estimated to generate $20 million over five years. The state legislature created FLOST last year through House Bill 581.

How FLOST works

According to this brochure, Dougherty County and the city of Albany would lower their property tax millage rates if residents approve the ballot measure. The revenue from the 1% sales tax would offset the reduction in property taxes.

While the measure would increase the sales tax in the county from 8% to 9%, City Manager Terrell Jacobs clarified that FLOST would not create additional city or county revenue. It would just replace the funds lost if the millage rate is rolled back.

Watch the full interview with Terrell Jacobs below:

Who would benefit

The measure would be good for five years, and property taxes would decrease after the first year of FLOST collections.

Dougherty County Commission Chairman, Lorenzo Heard, explained in a press release that FLOST would shift some of the tax burden in the county.

“Some amount of sales tax is paid by visitors, whereas only residents pay property taxes,” Heard said. “This presents a chance to shift some of the tax burden to part-time residents, visitors and others doing business in Albany and Dougherty County.”

This would potentially reduce property taxes by over 30% for residents who own property in Dougherty County.

Under the plan, Dougherty County would receive 68.35% of the tax relief, the Special Services District would receive 8.14% and Albany would receive 23.51%. The funding would go towards projects involving public safety, courts, road maintenance, parks and other public services.

Albany City Commissioner Chad Warbington cast one of just two opposing votes when the plan passed in the city. Warbington said he believes city residents are giving up a larger share of potential savings.

“I really felt like—that the special services district in the unincorporated area should not be favored. I think that it should be, across the board, that the county millage should be reduced evenly. And I really felt like that, in a sense, you’re kind of taking money out of city residents, and we’re subsidizing the special services district,” Warbington said.

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