When Resaca business owners open their doors at the first of the year, they will be paying a business license tax for the first time.

Resaca council members unanimously approved the implementation of business licenses at their regular meeting on Tuesday.

Leaders hope the tax will help make up for expected Local Option Sales Tax shortfalls.

Businesses will be taxed in proportion to the number of employees they have.

A business with one employee would have to spend $75 for the license and it increases incrementally. So those with 50-100 employees would pay $1,650 for the license and so on to the maximum of $4,275 for businesses employing more than 750 workers. There are currently no businesses in Resaca that employ that many workers, leaders pointed out.

The wording of the license ordinance mimics that currently used by the City of Calhoun, according to town attorney Peter Olson.

The tax must be paid on or before January 31 of next year or an additional 10 percent would be added if paid after February 1.

In other business:

 Town leaders heard an update on sewerage progression from Bob Peoples, of Peoples & Quigley—the group in charge of constriction. Peoples said the project was proceeding on schedule. The town is still waiting on a grant from the USDA in order to begin the second phase of the project. Peoples said all the appropriate documents have been submitted and are under inspection in Washington D.C.

 Town leaders were made aware of a rash of street sign theft in the area. Council members asked representatives from the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office to step up patrols and be diligent in hunting down the perpetrators.