Proposed Macon tax increase hits another roadblock as deadline looms

A proposed Macon-Bibb County property tax hike hit a roadblock Tuesday.

A county commissioner said Tuesday that he is no longer supporting a 3-mill tax increase that will be up for vote Thursday. That could mean the increase will not pass since it was only narrowly supported 5-4 by commissioners last week.

Voting for the 3-mill increase was “premature on my part,” Commissioner Joe Allen said at Tuesday’s committee meetings. “It’s not due to all the social media mess, it’s not due to what people feel.

He later added, “I don’t feel like it’s right. Something’s wrong.”

On Tuesday, county leaders discussed various millage rate options, but no consensus was reached to get the five votes needed to pass a tax increase. Issues such as pension contributions have become a sticking point for some commissioners.

Without a tax increase, plans to fund the bus system, libraries and several county departments could be in jeopardy after budget amendments were made to restore money to “outside agencies” such as the Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority, libraries and four museums.

The county would also need to use about $7.2 million to keep open the Parks and Beautification and Recreation Departments and Bowden Golf Course.

Commissioner Valerie Wynn, who has been against the 3-mill increase, said agencies such as the libraries, buses and health department must receive their funding.

An additional 3 mills would result in about $12 million in revenue for the county. It would cost a homeowner with homestead exemption about $100 more on a property valued at $100,000.

“The three we have to do something with and have to be 100 percent funded is transit number one. Our citizens depend on that for their livelihood,” Wynn said. “Number two: health department. The welfare of our community is at stake. And number three is the library. The remaining outside agencies need to face cuts of 20-25 percent.”

Mayor Robert Reichert warned commissioners that the new tax rate needs to be approved this week to prevent property tax revenue from coming in late, leaving county finances in a bind.

“We, as a commission, are setting ourselves up for a very difficult challenge if we don’t have an adequate millage rate to fund the things we want to fund,” Reichert said.

This story was originally published August 14, 2018 at 5:24 PM.