WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — As a voter-approved sales tax aimed at lowering property taxes takes effect in White County, the White County Chamber of Commerce is reminding local retailers to ensure the additional 1% tax is being properly collected.
The Property Tax Reduction Local Option Sales Tax, or PTRLOST, was approved by White County voters in the Nov. 5, 2025, election and went into effect Jan. 1. The tax applies to consumable goods sold in the county and is designed to directly reduce property tax bills.
The county’s new sales tax rate is now 8%, up from 7% last year.
Chamber reaching out to retailers
White County Chamber of Commerce President Beth Truelove said the Chamber has been proactive in communicating with businesses to prepare them for the change.
“We’ve been talking to our retailers about making sure they are collecting that 1% extra sales tax,” Truelove told Now Habersham. She said the Chamber has reached out through direct calls and emails to avoid confusion or compliance issues as the tax is implemented.
“We have been sharing that info to ensure that retailers are aware and able to collect the new tax,” Truelove said. “We have communicated through personal calls and emails to prepare the retailers for this change. No one wants to get a surprise tax bill from the Georgia Department of Revenue.”
Under state law, revenue generated by the PTRLOST can only be used to roll back property tax millage rates and cannot be spent on general operations or new projects.
Chamber: Property owners will see relief in 2027
According to Truelove, the additional 1% sales tax will be collected throughout 2026. Property owners will not see the benefit immediately; instead, the reduction tied to the tax will be reflected on 2027 property tax bills, after a full year of collections.
Because the tax is collected at the point of sale, a portion of the revenue will come from visitors and nonresidents who shop, dine, or travel in White County. County commissioners leaned into that point when putting the tax referendum on the ballot, assuring voters that money from the tax would shift part of the local tax burden away from property owners.
More information about how the PTRLOST works is available at whitecountyflost.com.
