Legislators Say Tax Law Doesn’t Affect GTR Airport

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Lowndes County may be violating state law by taxing the businesses that sit on the campus of the GTR Airport.

According to a state supreme court decision in 2013, businesses on airport grounds are not required to pay property tax.

Currently, several businesses, including Airbus Helicopters, sit on GTR’s campus and are paying property tax.

State legislators say while this is true, they are paying reduced property taxes.

The businesses signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), meaning these businesses originally agreed to pay the tax.

“They signed those MOU’s; they owe the money,” said District 37 Representative, Gary Chism. “Even though the Supreme Court says they don’t, what we will do, come January, is go back in there and write a law, stipulate it, what the MOU says so that Lowndes County Schools, Lowndes County will not have to pay any of the tax money back.”

Should the county be found in the wrong, it could mean up to three million dollars in back payments.