Political Notebook: Macon-Bibb officials to start SPLOST meetings

Macon-Bibb County commissioners will be busy next week despite the fact that it's the fifth week of the month when meetings typically are not held.

County officials will meet Tuesday morning with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, which is helping local leaders through the process of developing a list of special purpose local option sales tax projects. Macon-Bibb officials are pushing to have the SPLOST referendum on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. Money from a 2012 SPLOST has been used for Second Street Corridor work, the construction of fire stations, an animal shelter and a juvenile justice center, among other projects Also, $39.5 million of SPLOST money is being spent on renovations and construction of new parks and recreation centers throughout the county.

County officials have said they'd like to see the next round of SPLOST include money for the second phase of recreation projects, blight, renovations to the Macon City Auditorium and stormwater improvements.

Tuesday's SPLOST meeting will be at the Macon-Bibb County Government Center, 700 Poplar St., at 9 a.m. It's the first of several meetings that will take place in upcoming months, including community forums to get input from residents.

The next regular County Commission meeting will be April 5.

SKATE PARK ELICITS EXCITEMENT

A skate park at Central City Park has some Macon-Bibb County commissioners excited about its prospects.

Commissioners Gary Bechtel and Larry Schlesinger said the park will be able to attract out-of-town people to Central City Park, including some coming for skateboard competitions. About $400,000 of SPLOST funds will be used to construct the first phase of the project. The park will feature rails, stairs and benches for skateboarders to use.

"This is going to be the coolest thing in Central City Park," Schlesinger said. "We're actually going to get skateboarders from all over to try it out."

A county commission committee recently voted to accept a $5,000 grant for the park that would come from a foundation created by skateboard legend Tony Hawk. After discussions delved into how tall some of the ramps would be, Commissioner Virgil Watkins had a question about what makes a good skate park.

"Am I right to assume that the more dangerous it is, the more attractive the skate park?" Watkins said.

Clay Murphey, Macon-Bibb County's SPLOST project coordinator, responded simply with, "Amen."

SCOTT TARGETS 'OBAMA PHONES'

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., has introduced legislation he says will reform the abuse of "Obama Phones," according to a news release.

Scott's bill, "Controlling the Unchecked and Reckless Ballooning of Lifeline Act of 2016," targets the program that gives access to telecommunications services at affordable rates. The Federal Communications Commission, which administers the program, is seeking to increase its budget by $725 million, to a total of $2.5 billion, the release said.

Scott's bill proposes capping the program's budget at $1.5 billion.

"I have been fighting to end the unchecked spending and lack of accountability in the Lifeline Program since I came to Congress," Scott said in the release. "While the program's original purpose had merit, the program in its current form is wrought with fraud and abuse, and it's past time for Washington to respond to the calls of our constituents to rein this program in."

Scott's legislation would phase out the mobile-voice-only "Obama Phone" program and eliminate using the funds to subsidize the purchase of smartphones, laptops or tablets.

Telegraph writer Stanley Dunlap compiled this report.

This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Political Notebook: Macon-Bibb officials to start SPLOST meetings ."