CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Some experts are worried cities and counties will look to homeowners to make up for the unexpected loss of sales tax revenue during the pandemic.

The average county in North Carolina will lose more than $4 million this fiscal year, according to a study from North Carolina State University. There are 26 counties in North Carolina are reevaluating property taxes next year.

Some experts believe if federal and state help doesn’t come, the price of the pandemic can lead to higher property taxes.

“I have not seen a property tax increase proposed," said senior fellow at the John Locke Foundation Joe Coletti.

A bill under consideration, the FLEX Act, would let states use billions of dollars of federal money to help local governments meet their budgets.

“[The states] may be able to send some of that money down to backfill and more than offset some of the losses that counties are having this year,” Coletti said.

In May, the North Carolina General assembly dropped its revenue forecast for the 2020-21 fiscal year nearly 10 percent. A loss of $2.57 billion.