Commission votes 6–4 to place floating local option sales tax referendum on November ballot

The Athens-Clarke County Commission voted 6–4 on June 9 to place a floating local option sales tax referendum on the November ballot, setting the question for voters while calling for education and outreach ahead of the election.

Commissioner Davenport moved to place the floating local option sales tax (a county-level sales-tax referendum) on the ballot; Commissioner Wright seconded the motion. In the roll-call vote the clerk recorded six yes votes and four no votes.

Supporters described the measure as a citizens’ decision that could bring new revenue to the county and provide property-tax relief, pointing to potential revenue from visitors and students living off campus. “This is a people decision,” Commissioner Davenport said, noting voters would ultimately decide the proposal in November.

Opponents urged caution and asked for rapid public education and analysis of distributional effects. Commissioner Fischer and others said the tax is regressive and recommended a work session to quantify impacts on renters and homeowners, and to model likely revenue and who would bear the burden. Commissioner Johnson said the commission had not sustained a public-education process since the item’s initial retreat presentation and expressed concern about placing a complicated revenue measure on the ballot without broader outreach.

What happens next: Commissioners directed staff to begin educational outreach and to quantify tradeoffs for public materials and future work sessions so voters can evaluate the proposal before the November election.