Butts County can offer qualified industries an attractive package of incentives. Call us to learn more.
Incentives
Butts County has created a pro-business environment to attract and retain companies from global corporations to entrepreneurial start-ups. A variety of discretionary and statutory state and local Incentives may be available, including taxable and tax-exempt bonds, workforce training, and partnerships with the State of Georgia to provide access to their incentive programs.
Property Tax
In Georgia, property is required to be assessed at 40% of the fair market value unless otherwise specified by law. The Butts County Board of Commissioners sets the millage rate for the county. The billing and collection of taxes is the responsibility of the Tax Commissioner. The current millage rate for Butts County is as follows:
Property Tax Millage Rates
| Butts County | 10.459 |
|---|---|
| Butts County Schools | 12.675 |
| Butts County Hospital Authority | 1.000 |
| Total Millage: | 24.134 |
Real and Personal Property Tax Abatement
The ability to convey property tax incentives is limited in Georgia, and In order to obtain ad valorem property tax savings for a company’s project or in order to obtain certain State grants of local incentives for the project, an industrial development bond financed sale/leaseback is required. This incentive may be available on a limited basis for projects of significant economic benefit where that incentive is critical to the location decision.
Property tax savings must legally be provided through a “bonds for title” structure in which the Development Authority holds title to the project during the incentives period. Such transactions are typically referred to as “bonds for title” transactions, and use of this technique involves the issuance of IDBs by a development authority to acquire or construct the project, with the title to the project vested in a development authority and with the company having the status of a lessee. The lease of the project to the company is typically at a rent equal to debt service on the bonds.
Industrial Revenue Bond Financing (IRB) is available through the Development Authority of Butts County.
Sales Tax
Butts County has a combined sales tax of 7.00 percent. Georgia state sales and use tax rate is 4 percent. Butts County collects an additional 3.00 percent, which includes special purpose local option sales taxes for education (ESPLOST), Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) and a special purpose local option sales Tax (SPLOST).
Freeport Exemption
Butts County participates in 100% Freeport Tax Exemptions for the four categories listed below. It will be the business’s responsibility to apply on an annual basis with the County Tax Commissioner’s office.
- Manufacturer's raw materials and goods-in-process.
- Finished goods held by the original manufacturer.
- Finished goods held by distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers
destined for out-of-state shipment - Stock and trade in a fulfilment center.
State of Georgia Incentives
Job Tax Credits
New and expanding companiesmay earn Job Tax Credits(JTC) for creatingnew jobs in Georgia. These credits may eliminate a company’s corporateincome tax liability, and in certainareas may also reduce the company’s payroll withholding obligations. To qualify, the Georgia facility must be engaged in or the headquarters of a specified industry including:
- Manufacturing
- Warehousing, Distribution, and Logistics
- Software Development
- FinTech
- Data Centers
- Contact Centers
- Telecommunications
- Research and Development Facilities
For 2025, Butts County is a Tier 3 County. $1,750 per new job created, minimum 15 new jobs, that can offset 50% of a company’s income tax liability for five years.
