-David Crowder, WRGA News-
The Rome City Commission will discuss a referendum regarding a penny sales tax that will offset property taxes on homesteaded properties during a called meeting on Monday.
The resolution will ask the state legislative delegation to introduce local legislation for Floyd County during the 2026 special session of the Georgia General Assembly to have a referendum to let voters decide on a local homestead option sales tax.
The LHOST was created by the legislature during this past session and allows local counties and municipalities to levy a 1% sales tax dedicated entirely to subsidizing and reducing property taxes for homesteaded properties.
Last week, the Floyd County Commission approved a similar resolution, and county attorney Chris Jackson explained more.
“It’s an opportunity for voters to consider a different method to reduce the homestead property tax,” he said. “This tax relief, or tax shift, would be a shift in favor of, specifically, home-owned properties that are your primary residence.”
Last year, Floyd County voters defeated a floating local option sales tax, which would have gone to reduce property taxes.
This LHOST is different.
While both sales taxes provide property tax relief, the LHOST prioritizes homestead properties by providing these properties an exemption first, with general property tax rollback only if excess funds exist.
Comparatively, all FLOST revenue would have been used for general property tax relief, rolling back the millage rate applicable to all properties in the jurisdiction.
Monday’s called Rome City Commission meeting begins at 9 a.m. at Rome City Hall.
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