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Ware County tax officials brief commissioners on proposed 1% FLOST referendum to reduce property taxes
Summary
Tax Commissioner Roger Collins told commissioners a one‑percent local option sales tax (FLOST) could roll back county millage and be placed on the November ballot; commissioners asked staff to verify intergovernmental allocation percentages for distribution to the city.
Tax Commissioner Roger Collins told the Ware County Board of Commissioners on June 9 that a proposed one‑percent Food, Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST) would be placed on the November ballot and, if approved, would reduce property tax bills by rolling the millage rate back "off the bottom." He provided example bill calculations and said the five‑year tax would be collected for the general fund and used to reduce millage rather than pay for special projects.
"If the FLOST had been in place, [Chairman Thrift's] final bill would have been around $1,310.00, which was an additional $310 reduction of his tax bill," Collins said while illustrating the measure's effect. Collins said recent collections returned roughly $9 million to Waycross and Ware County in 2024 and that the proposed FLOST could roll the county millage back by about 4.757 mills in his example.
Commissioners discussed timing and mechanics. Collins recommended placing the measure on the November ballot so collections could begin January 1, 2026. Commissioners also raised allocation questions: a draft intergovernmental agreement estimates distribution based on the 2024 property tax levy (Ware County 58%, City of Waycross 42%), but some commissioners recalled previous SPLOST negotiations that used a 60/40 split. The board asked Collins to verify the correct percentages before finalizing the agreement.
Collins also raised a separate tax administration matter tied to HB 223 (the TREES Act): he said Ware County receives substantial timber taxes and that a $7.3 million grant will waive timber taxes for eligible claims; residents must apply for refunds, and Collins urged the county to serve as the local point of contact during disbursement (anticipated March–December 2026).
The discussion produced no final vote at the work session; staff added the FLOST referendum and the intergovernmental agreement with Waycross to the regular meeting agenda for action or further direction.
