Bibb commissioners stall budget vote, property tax hike

Macon-Bibb County residents were spared a property tax hike Tuesday. For the moment.

Instead of voting yes or no on the $162 million general fund budget Tuesday, the county commission wants more meetings on the spending and tax plan.

The plan would have meant an additional $108 in taxes for a home valued at $100,000, but that was too high for a group of commissioners. Taxpayers now pay about $582 for a $100,000 property, which does not include the Bibb school district rate.

"There’s no appetite out there for a millage increase at all," Commissioner Larry Schlesinger said at Tuesday's budget meeting. "Just looking at the bottom line figures, we've got a significant jump in projected 2019 (expenses). I've got no magic bullet."

Commissioners were able to shave off about $2 million in expenses over the last five weeks from Mayor Robert Reichert's proposed budget. That left Tuesday's budget with a 3.3 mills rate increase compared to 3.7 mills in Reichert's budget.

If commissioners are unable to pass a budget before the fiscal year starts July 1, the county could operate under the current year's budget until a new one is approved, several officials said.

But that could pose some problems since monthly expenses would likely be higher than the current $150 million budget can handle

"Before we start July 1, I'd have to know what not to pay," Finance Director Christy Iuliucci said.

Some commissioners have said they would support a budget that can get the tax hike down to about 2 mills or about $66 in more taxes for a $100,000 property. That would require another $5 million in budget reductions.

The county millage rate was increased by 3 mills last year, bringing it to 17.652. That figure does not include the school district rate.

Six votes are needed to pass a budget.

"We're going to be in the same boat next year having this same conversation if we don't put some things in place to address it now," County Manager Keith Moffett said.

Budget talk

Budget talks could resume as early as this week.

During a series of meetings that started in May, commissioners went back-and-forth on whether to increase pension contributions and how much money outside agencies such as Navicent Health, Department of Family and Children Services and several museums should receive.

The latest budget draft has about $630,000 less going to those agencies compared to the current budget of $10.6 million.

The county's reserve coffers have taken a major hit since consolidation, going from $33 million in 2014 to about $4 million by the end of June.

This year's budget shortfall came in part due to rising healthcare costs.

The next budget will also have to account for a post-employment benefit fund running out of money in December, meaning $4 million will need to be paid from the general fund.

There's also more money needed to operate new fire stations and cover a full year of pay raises for firefighters and deputies.

This story was originally published June 5, 2018 at 8:57 PM with the headline "Bibb commissioners stall budget vote, property tax hike."