FLOST WILL NOT BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT IN UPSON CO.

UPSON  COUNTY  VOTERS  WILL  APPARENTLY  NOT  GET  AN  OPPORUNITY  TO  VOTE  FOR  A  FLOST  PROPERTY  TAX  RELIEF MEASURE  THIS  NOVEMBER  AFTER  THE  UPSON  COUNTY  COMMISSIONERS  AND  THOMASTON  CITY  COUNCIL  COULD  NOT AGREE ON  HOW  TO  SPLIT  THE   $5  MILLION  PRIZE.  THE  COMMISSIONERS AND  COUNCIL WENT  BACK  AND  FORTH FOR  ALMOST  3  HOURS  WEDNESDAY  DURING  A  NEGOTIATION  THAT  WENT  NOWHERE.  THE  COMMISSIONERS  STUCK  BY  THEIR  ORIGINAL OFFER  OF  A  74-26%  SPLIT  WHILE   COUNCIL BENT  JUST  A LITTLE  AND  MADE  A  MOTION  FOR  A  70-30 SPLIT  BELOW  THEIR  ORIGINAL  WANT  OF   40%  OF  THE  SALES  TAX  BASED  ON  HOUSE  BILL  581.

*** IN A STATEMENT FROM COMMISSIONER DAN BRUE***

To the citizens of Thomaston and Upson County, I am incredibly disappointed that we have not been able to reach an agreement with the City of Thomaston Mayor and CIty Council on FLOST distributions.

I want to thank the Mayor and City Council for sitting down with us tonight.  I especially want to recognize Councilman Ryan Tuckers' efforts to get us to tax relief.

Unfortunately, we could not get to where we need to be to make FLOST viable for everyone.  As the Board of Commissions, we could not forsake those unincorporated homeowners on a fixed income who need the tax relief the most. The options the city provided would not have provided real tax relief for those most in need.

The Board of Commissioners again approved a 26% distribution for the City of Thomaston.  This would have represented substantial property tax savings for city property owners.  It would have eliminated 100% of the city M&O tax and provided an additional 38% reduction on the county M&O tax.