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DOUGHERTY COUNTY, GA -- The Dougherty County Finance Committee reported some good news at their meeting Wednesday morning.

The county is in better financial state than previously expected.

At the beginning of the fiscal year in July, they projected that they would be taking $3.5 million from reserves.

In reality, they're only taking a little over $800,000.

“That means we start this budget year with about $11.3 million in reserves versus the $9 million we were looking at, or maybe less than that. So that was very good news,” says Finance Chair Lamar Hudgins.

The county's local option sales tax revenue, or L.O.S.T. is on the rise!

They've been seeing an increase over the last three months.

County Administrator Richard Crowdis thinks new local retail has something to do with it.

“Hopefully that will continue with the economy, hopefully seeing the light at the end of the tunnel possibly and with Wal-Mart opening we feel like that's probably a contributing factor,” says Crowdis.

The solid waste enterprise fund is also in the black despite a rise in tipping fees.