Augusta’s MOST Has Momentum

Augusta, GA—It’s the spending time of the year, but will the cash registers be ringing more next year in Augusta?

“I’m going to try not to but it’s kind of hard if you’ve got money in your pocket you’re going to spend it,” said Barbara Johnson, of Augusta.

And, Augusta Commissioners want to try and get more money out of the pockets of shoppers.

Next week, city leaders will discuss adopting a resolution to formally ask state lawmakers for the approval to hold a special election to say yes or no to increasing the city sales tax by one percent. They call it a MOST, for Municipal Option Sales Tax.

“This would have to be approved by the people one thing I would say is 30 percent of those pennies come from outside the city of Augusta. It’s a very fair way to do business,” says Mayor Deke Copenhaver.

And, if state lawmakers approve calling for the referendum, Augusta voters would get to decide, in what could be tough economic times, whether they want to increase their sales tax to lower property taxes.

“I wouldn’t want to tax myself and I wouldn’t want people who can’t afford it to be taxed,” said Johnson.

“Well it’s going to help and hurt it’s going to help with the property but it’s going to hurt when you are going into the store and buy something so you’re in a catch-22,” said Sondra Savage.

The state of Georgia is also looking at a sales tax increase to pay for transportation issues, so it could be a two percent increase in Augusta if voters went along. And, the argument is that could send city business out of town.

“There’s a lot of time to discuss this and the impact of it so once again I would say to the citizens and the businesses this is not a done deal but municipal governments around the state are looking at this option as well,” says Mayor Copenhaver.

Commissioners will take up the MOST on Monday.