Walker County government has been struggling with the decision to levy a half-cent excise tax on energy used by manufacturers. The legislature passed the roll back on the energy sales tax as an incentive to draw more businesses into the state. The tax will allow counties and cities to make up some of the revenue lost on the energy tax.

Commissioner Bebe Heiskell signed that agreement Thursday for three reasons, she said. First, the loss of sales tax revenue could hinder the county's ability to pay back funds borrowed on, and paid back by, SPLOST revenue. Second, no one can know, she said, how much the state-imposed reprieve will affect the total amount of sales tax collected, without an audit. And three, the only way to get an audit if for the county to participate in the excise tax plan.

Heiskell said Walker County and the cities will impose the half-cent tax during 2012, and during the year, will run a cost analysis to find out exactly how much is being lost. She said she would evaluate the excise tax at the end. The new law allows the county to continue adding a half cent per year , up to a maximum of two percent in four years. 

The Commissioner says, "we want to bring out industrial partners all the benefits possible, but we cannot shift such a a potential loss of tax revenue to the backs of local residents.  .