The unincorporated voters of Greene County passed one of two ballot measures regarding Local Option Sales and Services Tax (LOSST) funds in a special election Tuesday.

According to the Greene County Auditor’s Office, the unofficial results from the Tuesday special election had 88 votes against and 73 votes in favor of changing the county’s LOSST revenue purpose statement from “100% property tax relief and any lawful purpose” to just “any lawful purpose.” The other ballot measure was about removing the sunset date for LOSST, which passed with 82 votes against 78 “no” votes. 

The County Board of Supervisors needed to change the revenue purpose statement for LOSST in order for them to use the money to pay back a loan that would have been issued to fill a funding gap for an HVAC project with the Greene County Courthouse. The Supervisors said they would continue to use the one cent sales tax for property tax relief to fund the Secondary Roads Department and a vehicle for the Sheriff’s Office, then use the remaining LOSST funds as the payment back to the bond. 

The Supervisors have until June 30, 2026 to use the $1.8 million of the American Rescue Plan Act funds otherwise that money goes away. County Auditor Billie Jo Hoskins says the original revenue purpose statement remains in effect to be used strictly on property tax relief and the possible next available time the language could be back in front of voters is the upcoming presidential election in November. Hoskins adds the removal of the sunset date means LOSST would no longer need to be voted on by the public. 

The Tuesday election results are unofficial until the Supervisors canvass the votes at their meeting next Monday.