Future of Macon-Bibb projects hinges on special tax

The future of numerous Macon-Bibb County projects could hinge on the outcome of a proposed $280 million special tax voters will decide upon the next several weeks.

Early voting starts Monday for the Nov. 8 election highlighted by the U.S. presidential race. But another critical outcome — the special purpose local option sales tax — is also on the ballot, and the result of that vote could be felt for years in Macon.

The special tax, known as SPLOST, would be a continuation of the penny-on-the-dollar tax voters approved in 2011. But this one would have differing parameters providing county officials more flexibility in how to spend the money. In addition Macon-Bibb will be able to collect up to $90 million more than allowed under the current tax.

“I hope that citizens feel we have used their money wisely and hope they will trust us to continue making progress for all of our community” Commissioner Elaine Lucas said.

Several officials say county finances could be put in a bind without the continuation of the SPLOST. In some cases, certain projects would be put on the back burner until funding could be found. To pay for others — including some that are legally mandated — officials could have to raise property taxes or increase some fees.

“All of those alternatives are not feasible in a community where many of our people are on fixed income,” Lucas said. “The SPLOST is a no-brainer to pay for these improvements since you have other people coming in from other communities that help pay the tax.”

The $280 million SPLOST assigns money into 10 categories, ranging from roads and bridges to blight to recreation and cultural facilities. It lists various projects within each pot, but does not assign a specific dollar amount to each project.

▪ Landfill: $20 million

▪ Courthouse repairs and upgrades: $40 million

▪ Blight remediation: $12 million

▪ Economic development: $29 million

▪ Stormwater: $25 million

▪ Debt retirement: $13.5 million

▪ Roads/bridges/transportation: $35 million

▪ Public safety: $25 million

▪ Recreation: $43.5 million

▪ Cultural/public use facilities: $37 million

The new SPLOST would be collected until the full $280 million is reached. In contrast, the current SPLOST is limited by a six year collection window and latest estimates have it coming at least $10 million short.

Officials have said this will provide them more flexibility in case they need to move funds around when a project’s costs runs higher or lower than expected.

“I think we’ve learned over the course of this last SPLOST that you do encounter surprises along the way in terms of funding,” Commissioner Larry Schlesinger said. “I think we’ve handled it the best way we could. I think we’re in good shape to just continue the march of good things happening in Macon-Bibb County.”

The 2012 SPLOST has thus far been spent on dozens of projects ranging from stormwater repairs to about a dozen recreation center and park improvements.

Some of the recreation centers that have undergone face-lifts with this SPLOST also have second phases that would be paid for through a new special tax.

The 2012 SPLOST was also used to build a new animal shelter, juvenile justice center and fire stations.

While collections on the new SPLOST would not start until April 1, 2018, officials would prioritize and begin work on some of those projects well before that date, Commissioner Gary Bechtel said.

Some of the capital SPLOST projects are enhancements that officials believe are important, but others are ones they are legally obligated to perform. The danger is that without the SPLOST officials would likely have to dip into the general fund, which could lead to higher property taxes, Bechtel said.

“We’ve got a lot of capital projects that we’re compelled to do, like the courthouse, storm sewer and the landfill,” Bechtel said. “ If we didn’t have the SPLOST as a tool for financing, then the danger is we would have to find it out of the general fund, which could precipitate an increase in property taxes.”

The commission has dedicated $20 million of the SPLOST be split between closing the inert and main landfills and building a transfer station. Macon-Bibb is also mandated to spend money on improving the courthouse, with $40 million of sales tax collections covering costs for a building addition and parking.

Tens of millions of dollars in stormwater repairs are needed throughout Macon.

But the SPLOST is not without some critics. A group of seniors have been vocal about whether they would support another SPLOST. They want a new senior citizens center to feature more of the amenities they say are important.

Officials also took heat for the length of time it took to start constructing the new $7.6 million south Bibb County recreation center, but much of that was quelled with a July groundbreaking.

Since the consolidation of Macon and Bibb County in 2014, the general fund budget has been reduced with less pain because of the SPLOST, Schlesinger said.

“We were able to fulfill the mandate of the Georgia Legislature of cutting the consolidated budget down 20 percent largely because we had this large pool of money we could draw from,” he said. “If we did not have this SPLOST then cutting the budget as we did would have been much more difficult.”

Schlesinger, who was on the Macon City Council when the 2012 SPLOST was approved, said “we have to look at it really as an economic development tool that we’ve proven to be a success for the last four-and-a-half years.”

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 7:58 PM with the headline "Future of Macon-Bibb projects hinges on special tax."