A proposed Local Homestead Option Sales Tax, or LHOST, for Lowndes County has stalled at the state level, leaving county leaders frustrated that residents may never get the chance to vote on it.
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The measure would have added a ninth penny of sales tax in Lowndes County and generated an estimated $36 million annually to provide property tax relief. During Monday's special legislative session, lawmakers declined to advance the local legislation needed to place the question on November's ballot.
Not everyone supported the proposal. Lowndes County renter Linda Gonzales worried another sales tax would add pressure to families already struggling with rising costs.
"Prices are high, why want to raise it more? That's what I'm thinking. Why would you want to raise it more? Where everyone's struggling as it is," Gonzales said.
Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes said the core question before the General Assembly was never about whether the tax was a good idea — it was about whether residents should have the right to decide for themselves.
"The decision to be made at the General Assembly level was, can this go to a local referendum? Can we allow our citizens to make this choice for themselves?" Dukes said.
Dukes said those dollars could have been used to reduce property taxes while continuing to fund county services like law enforcement, roads, courts, and public works.
"I think people just want the opportunity to decide for themselves, and we can't do that without the General Assembly allowing our local legislation to move forward," Dukes said.
For now, there are no changes to local taxes. But with $36 million in potential annual revenue left off the table, county leaders say the conversation is far from over.
If lawmakers do not revisit the issue during the remainder of the special session, Lowndes County officials say they will likely bring the proposal back when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.
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