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Houston County commissioners vote to put 1% FLOST on May 19, 2026 ballot
Summary
The Houston County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to place a one‑percent floating local option sales and use tax (FLOST) on the May 19, 2026 ballot; estimated first‑year revenue cited in the meeting was about $41.5 million and officials said proceeds would be used exclusively to reduce property tax millage.
The Houston County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to call a countywide election on a one‑percent floating local option sales and use tax, commonly called FLOST, which would ask voters whether to impose a penny sales tax for five years with proceeds used exclusively to reduce property taxes.
Commissioner Robinson introduced the resolution and said the FLOST option is available because Houston County and its three cities have adopted floating homestead exemptions. He told the board the county currently sees about $41,500,000 in revenue for every one‑cent sales tax and estimated that amount would translate to a rollback of roughly 3.54 mills on both county and city tax bills when fully implemented.
The resolution includes an intergovernmental agreement among the county and its cities to administer the tax and places the ballot question on the general primary ballot scheduled for May 19, 2026. Commissioners emphasized that the measure would first collect sales tax revenue and that millage rollbacks would appear on property tax bills beginning with a partial rollback in 2027 (representing an initial partial collection) and a fuller rollback in subsequent years as revenue accrues.
Supporters on the board characterized FLOST as a mechanism to shift some property tax burden onto retail activity, noting that Houston County draws substantial retail traffic from outside the county. The resolution’s ballot language, quoted by a commissioner during debate, reads in part: "Shall a special 1% sales and use tax be imposed for five years within Houston County with the proceeds used exclusively to reduce property taxes imposed by Houston County and the municipalities of Warner Robins, Perry and Centerville?"
Board members voted to approve the resolution and the intergovernmental agreement unanimously. The clerk will publish the required notices and the measure will appear to voters on May 19, 2026.
The board also discussed the distinction between FLOST and SPLOST, noting that SPLOST proceeds support an identified list of capital projects while FLOST proceeds would be dedicated to property tax rollback rather than capital outlays.
Outcome: Resolution calling for the FLOST election approved unanimously; next step is standard election‑administration tasks to place the question on the May 19, 2026 ballot.
