Macon budget calls for property tax increase. Some commissioners say they will fight it.

Your property taxes could be going up for the second year in a row.

Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert presented his $164 million general fund budget on Tuesday, which includes increasing property taxes by 3.7 mills. But some commissioners say they oppose such a tax increase and will fight for more changes before the budget is approved.

Reichert outlined the financial strain the county has faced the last four years, leading to the reserve fund being depleted. He said the new millage rate is expected to bring in about $15 million in additional revenue, which should be enough to cover additional expenses.

Last year, the county’s millage rate jumped 3 mills, going to 17.652 mills. That figure does not include the rate set by the Bibb County school board.

If another 3.7 mills is added this year, that would mean a home with a value of $100,000 would cost the property owner an additional $122.

Reichert said this upcoming year's budget and how money will be spent is a "watershed" moment, but it's important to stay the course. He also said he expects "robust" discussions with commissioners before a budget is approved.

The plan is for the County Commission to vote on the budget in June. The new fiscal year starts July 1.

The county has received millions of dollars of less revenue in the last couple of years after the elimination of double taxation for former city of Macon residents.

And a post-employment benefit fund is expected to run out of money by the start of 2019. That means the county is on the hook for $4 million in expenses that will have to come out of the general fund.

But there is reason for optimism, Reichert said, as he urged commissioners to approve a budget before the new fiscal year begins.

"I have no doubt about it, in my opinion, this community is pulling together more now than it has at any other point in the recent past," he said.

Some highlights of the budget include:

• Outside agency funding reductions;
  
  
• Operation expense and staff reductions;
  
  
• Elimination of three paid holidays;
  
  
• Healthcare and pension changes, so employees contribute to a larger percentage of costs.

The largest expenditure increase would come from salaries and benefits, which includes pension and healthcare.

The budget calls for spending $110 million in fiscal 2019, up from a little under $104 million projected this year.

The new amount also includes raises for firefighters and sheriff’s deputies and money for hiring firefighters.

Commissioners' reactions

Commissioner Al Tillman said he's upset with how the budgeting process played out in recent years when commissioners should have had more of a role before the mayor's administration crafted a budget.

One of the largest savings in fiscal 2019 would come to cuts to some outside agencies, such as the Museum of Arts and Sciences, the Middle Georgia Regional Library and money to Navicent Health for indigent care. Overall, Reichert's proposed budget has outside agency spending going from $10.7 million to $9.4 million.

"The administration seems to have an issue with the (County Commission's) finance committee having budget meetings, and all of a sudden now (Reichert) is saying we're all in this together," Tillman said. "We have not been in this together. If we’re in this together then you have to include the commissioners and other elected officials."

Reichert's spokesman, Chris Floore, however, says this proposed budget does include input from commissioners.

"You couldn’t incorporate everything because of opposing ideas between different commissioners, so we tried to build a budget that we could build a consensus around and pass for next year," Floore said. "Over the next couple of weeks some of those details will be discussed and rehashed."

Commissioner Joe Allen said he's upset that some ideas are not part of the budget, such as privatizing solid waste, which he said could save more expenses.

He said he opposes a 3.7 mill increase and believes a health care committee will help reap millions of dollars in savings for Macon-Bibb.

And Commissioner Mallory Jones said in an email prior to the presentation that he would vote for a two-mill increase if certain conditions are met. They include cutting funding for outside agencies, having Macon-Bibb County employees contribute 4 percent to their pension plans and hiring at least 12 new employees.

"If we do not accomplish this criteria in the new budget, then I will vote against a millage increase," Jones wrote.

The budgeting woes have led to the county's reserve balance decreasing from $33 million at the start of fiscal 2014 to about $4 million projected at the end of June.

“That is unacceptable for a community of our size to have a fund balance or reserve of only $4 million,” Reichert said. “(Macon-Bibb) is literally only one tornado away from having a negative fund balance. This must be change. We must start rebuilding our fund balance and having more money left at the end of the year.”

But Reichert also said he disagrees with the notion from some people that the county is in a financial crisis.

"I want to adamantly and pointedly say that we are not broke," he said during the budget work session. "We have revenue sources and have expenditures, and it is up to commission to get those two to match."

Reichert later added, "to those who would say we have been wasteful with taxpayer dollars, I would say we have gone beyond being lean and mean."

This story was originally published May 8, 2018 at 2:13 PM with the headline "Macon budget calls for property tax increase. Some commissioners say they will fight it.."