Coweta County

met with leaders from its cities last week to discuss a proposed distribution

of sales tax dollars.

The county

contends that some city dwellers are receiving a much larger benefit than

residents in the county and wants to correct the problem.

Representatives

from Grantville, Senoia, Haralson and Palmetto met with the county last

week to discuss the new distribution plan. County administrator Theron

Gay said Newnan did not send a representative because of a scheduling

conflict.

In 2000, the

county received slightly over $12.8 million in sales tax revenues. One

of the problems the county has is how the money is divided under a 1994

agreement.

While unincorporated

Coweta County has 78 percent of the population, it only received 66 percent

of the funds. Conversely, Newnan had 18 percent of the county's population,

yet received nearly 28 percent of the sales tax dollars.

Gay said the

county doesn't want to cause any of the municipalities budget problems,

but is suggesting the percentages be changed in the next few years.

"As the

tax dollars grow, the cities will be getting a comparable dollar amount,

but it will be more fair to the unincorporated residents," said Gay.

He said the

cities would take the proposal