The Gordon County Board of Commissioners got a look into 2011 for Gordon County during a special meeting in Atlanta on Sunday, including a possible increase of the county’s hotel and motel tax.

This tax increase would bring the county’s current five percent tax up to around eight percent tax, the maximum the state allows, according to Randy Dowling, county administrator.

The county would not see a dime of that money, however, Dowling said, as the state requires that those tax dollars go directly to the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.

According to Dowling, the county would have to “jump through a lot of hoops” with the state to get put this change in place. The commissioners are “thinking about it,” he said.

Nothing has been decided at this point, Dowling said, but the meeting served to educate the commissioners and give them pertinent information concerning the county this year.

Dowling also discussed the impending Transporation Special Project Local-Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) referendum, which is scheduled to go to vote at the local level in August 2012.

According to Dowling, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is requesting a list of possible TSPLOST projects by March 30.

The GDOT is looking to gather a considerable amount of information from the county in advance, Dowling said, and he and the commissioners are now working to make a list to send to GDOT.

The county is also preparing to meet with the cities to discuss Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) renegotiation and redistricting (a process that will affect distribution in accordance with new population numbers from the 2010 census). LOST is a one-percent sales tax to the state given to the county and cities on a monthly basis.

According to Dowling, LOST funds can be used for any government purpose.

At this time, Calhoun receives 26 percent of LOST funds, Fairmount receives 3.25 percent and Resaca receives 1.75 percent. Plainville and Ranger do not receive LOST funds, Dowling said.

Due to the recent census completed by the United States Census Bureau, the county must now meet and complete negotiations with the cities before December 2012.

According to Dowling, the county will begin the process of preparing a new 2011-2012 budget on March 1.