Peach voters approve tax exemption for distribution centers

In extremely low turnout, Peach County voters approved a tax exemption Tuesday that could help lure distribution centers.

The referendum to expand the Freeport tax exemption to fulfillment centers, more commonly called distribution centers, passed 257 to 109. That was a turnout of only 2.42 percent of registered voters. Interim Election Superintendent Marsha Gosier said it’s the lowest turnout she can remember.

Peach County already has a Freeport tax exemption, which exempts the product inventory of manufacturers from property taxes. B.J. Walker, director of the Peach County Development Authority, said the General Assembly passed a law last year that excluded distribution centers from that exemption. He said Tuesday’s referendum corrects that.

With Interstate 75 running through the county, he said the exemption could give the county an advantage over other counties in luring a distribution center.

This story was originally published March 21, 2017 at 10:20 PM with the headline "Peach voters approve tax exemption for distribution centers."