A Dec. 30 deadline is fast

approaching for Peachtree City and Fayette County's governing bodies to

agree on a distribution formula for the one-cent Local Option Sales Tax.

Peachtree City Mayor Steve

Brown has been negotiating the matter with Fayette County Commission Chairman

Greg Dunn, but no agreement has yet been reached. If an agreement is not

filed with the state Department of Community Affairs by Dec. 30, none

of the governments could collect any LOST funds until a new agreement

can be reached.

Currently, the county commission

receives 47.5 percent of the funds collected while the cities split the

remainder based on their populations. But several months ago the county

informed the cities it wants to increase its share to 50 percent.

That proposal would cost Peachtree

City approximately $400,000 a year in revenue, according to officials.

The county's latest offer would

phase in the 50 percent mark over three years, with no change in the figures

this year, an increase of 1 percent to the county the following year and

a final increase of 1.5 percent to the county in the third year.

Brown said those figures weren't

in his latest proposal to Dunn.

Brown said Monday he is "very

tense" about the situation. He hopes the county will cooperate, especially

since he has worked with the commission on resolving other issues this

year such as the tax equity lawsuit and planning matters.

"I have not done one thing

that has worked against the county," Brown said.

Brown also noted that Peachtree

City and Fayetteville are "the economic engines of the county."

"I'm hoping they see the

benefit of working with Peachtree City," Brown said. "We're

still hopeful we will get it resolved in good time."

Brown noted that the issue

should be in the mediation stage by now, but Dunn wanted to avoid having

to pay attorneys to settle the matter and he agreed. Another option is

for the case to be decided by an independent arbitrator.

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