Houston County officials are dealing with a decrease in sales tax revenue.

The tax numbers are in for January sales and they are down 7 percent from last January; three point three percent down year-to-date. While the drop doesn't impact the county budget much, the city and county schools, which are already having budget troubles, take the biggest hit.

William Dempsey, Chief Administrative Officer, Houston County, says, “ if we're off say four percent that's going to mean somewhere between $200,000 to $250,000 a year of our total revenue is decreased. The schools on the other hand is roughly twice that so the impact is much greater on them.”

If sales tax revenue continues to decline one project that might get the ax is moving the EMA office and Juvenile Court.

Move our EMA and Communications Center over to Juvenile Services and move Juvenile Court into the bottom of the courthouse. That's a much needed project we've been talking about for a couple of years and had planned to do it this year but that's one of the things that will be on hold unless we can find some additional money or get a grant or appropriation from federal or state government," said Mark Culver, Chairman, Houston Co. Commission.

Culver says some infrastructure projects may also have to wait.

“Primarily some building projects, some road projects we had planned some of those things will have to wait until the economy comes back,” said Culver.

Officials are hoping projects like the new Publix stores will help generate more tax revenue. If Country Crossing re-opens it would help boost sales and lodging tax revenue and the economy in general.

“We've got a challenge ahead of us and we're going to face it and we're ready to make the decisions and we're ready to use the funds we have and keep the county in good financial position,” said Culver.

February sales tax numbers will be available at the beginning of March.