Gwinnett commission approves energy tax

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved a new 1 percent energy excise tax on manufacturers to offset money lost from a tax break approved by the General Assembly earlier this year.

The legislature eliminated most sales taxes on energy used by manufacturers to attract businesses to the state. However, it allowed local governments to offset part of the money they would lose by imposing a new excise tax.

The tax break and offsetting tax increase will not affect most taxpayers.