BROOKHAVEN — Lincoln County Board of Supervisors discussed their concerns with a House Bill aimed at slashing the state income tax. The discussion came up as supervisors workshopped a response to requests for feedback from the legislature. 

Lincoln County Administrator Daniel Calcote said Mississippi House of Representatives Speaker Jason White sent out an email to counties asking for feedback. Under HB1, the state income tax would be phased out and replaced instead with a 1.5 percent sales tax increase. 

The bill was already passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the senate where it has yet to be referred to a committee. HB1 is also known as the Build Up Mississippi Act and funds raised by the 1.5 percent sales tax increase would go towards state aid construction. Calcote said he appreciates the legislature’s communication with them this session. 

“Our concern is the collection made in the county will not be coming back to us in the same percentage of what we collected,” Calcote said. “It would be divided out by their formula.”

District 4 Supervisor Eli Ferguson said he would like all counties to see a fair share of the funds raised by the proposed sales tax increase. Supervisors expressed concerns the bill would potentially raise taxes and counties and cities could opt out of the sales tax. 

“If you opt out you would have the risk of losing funding,” District 3 Supervisor John David Hart said. 

“We are okay with the cut but the revenue will need to come from somewhere. We need a little more clarity but we are grateful for the communication,” Calcote said. 

Rep. Vince Mangold and Becky Currie voted in favor of HB1 earlier in January. Supervisors expressed concerns about tax cuts and how it could have an impact on local infrastructure back in December when meeting with local legislators.