Ellijay, East Ellijay, and Gilmer County continue to debate over how much portion each will receive from the Local Options Sales Tax (L.O.S.T). The three governmental entities have been in a dispute over the matter since September. Every ten years, the three governments are required to renegotiate their percentage of revenue from the sales tax, and it is the county’s responsibility to initiate the process. The last offer made by the county to the cities was an offer of 15% to Ellijay, and an offer of 6% to East Ellijay in December, which means the county, would receive 79% of the revenue from the sales tax. As of today, an agreement has still not been reached.

“As of this point we are in a stalemate.”

East Ellijay Mayor Mack West told FYN, adding

“The last offer was unacceptable”

. West said that no meetings have been scheduled with the county at this time, but also said,

“Hopefully we will reach an amicable agreement.”

According to the Georgia Municipal Association, if by September 1st there is still no agreement reached by the three governmental entities, the governments will be offered mediation to help make a decision. If by November 1st no agreement has been reached the tax will lapse which means the Department of Revenue would no longer collect the tax. If this does happen, the three governmental municipalities would have until December 1st, 2012 to petition to the state court for baseball arbitration. Baseball arbitration would be a last resort made by the municipalities in which they would present their destined final offer to a judge, and there would then be a hearing and testimonies heard from each of the municipalities. The judge then, with the power of the law, would make a final decision selecting only one offer made from one of the municipalities.

The Gilmer County Clerk, Diana Buttram, said that the L.O.S.T would be on the agenda at the next Board of Commissioners meeting.