Midstate ballots feature mayoral votes, sales tax questions and more
It's not a presidential or gubernatorial election year, but there are plenty of important races up for grabs on Election Day, as well as referendum questions that will help shape communities for years to come.
In Bibb County, voters will decide whether to extend a 1-cent sales tax to pay for education-related projects over the next five years.
The extra penny of sales tax on the dollar, known as E-SPLOST, is projected to raise $180 million from 2016-2021 for a wish list of capital projects that includes technology upgrades, consolidation of two school campuses, a new elementary school and renovations to existing facilities.
Bibb school Superintendent Curtis Jones has said he is "cautiously optimistic" that voters will approve the measure.
In Warner Robins, there are three races for City Council.
Post 2 Councilwoman Carolyn Robbins, 72, is challenged by Jeffrey Walker Sr., in his fifth bid for a council seat.
Robbins said re-electing her would help with stability and continuity of ongoing projects and goals. Multiple attempts to reach Walker, who has not attended any public forums this election season, have been unsuccessful.
Post 4 Councilman Tim Thomas, 52, is challenged by 43-year-old Betsy Loiacono.
Thomas, who manages rental properties, said he accomplished everything he'd promised when he was elected two years ago except creating a passive park in the district, something he said will come to fruition with approval from Mayor Randy Toms.
If elected, Loiacono, a victim's advocate in the Macon Judicial Circuit district attorney's office, said she will work to keep taxes low, but her No. 1 priority would be creating a passive park in the district.
Post 6 City Councilman Mike Davis, 62, is challenged in his second term by 57-year-old Carmen Antonio.
Davis, a high school sports broadcaster and retired city firefighter, said growing industry will be his No. 1 priority if re-elected.
Antonio, a California native who works in Macon at Frames & Art Unlimited, said she would work to get more sidewalks, bike lanes and parks in place if elected.
Voters in Baldwin County and Milledgeville will decide if they want to erase city lines and merge their governments.
Supporters say a united city and county would spend less money overall and stand a better chance of attracting new investment.
For much of the savings, they count on not replacing employees who choose to leave over time. They also say the move would save money and be more efficient to join services such as 911 dispatch and fire protection. Finally, supporters think a single set of elected officials would do a better job wooing industry than a separate city and county.
But opponents say the merger would mean unfair taxes for people who live in what's now unincorporated Baldwin. A new Milledgeville-Baldwin government is required to draw up an "urban services" district where taxes could be higher to reflect the extras that city residents get, such as sidewalks. Opponents suspect that city taxes will be cut down, making, as they see it, the rest of the county subsidize those extra services. They also criticize supporters for failing to get an independent, academic study of the charter's costs and benefits before bringing it to voters.
For the merger to pass, it needs majority approval in Milledgeville plus the county as a whole, including Milledgeville. If approved, voters would return to the polls March 1 to select five new county commissioners, plus a mayor and vice mayor.
County residents will also vote on a wide-ranging 1-cent sales tax proposal for education. The projects paid for by proceeds from the tax, a continuance of the existing tax, would bring improvements to each of the county's schools. Security cameras, new roofs and upgrades to athletic facilities are all on the proposed list.
In Forsyth, former Councilman Eric Wilson is running against incumbent Mayor John T. Howard II to be the city's top official.
If elected, Howard has pledged he'll work to improve Forysth's water and sewage infrastructure.
Wilson has said he will work to improve the city's economic development.
Economic development has also been a hot topic for the seven candidates vying for three Forsyth City Council seats. Alleta Mays, Chris Hewett and Tye Howard are all running for Wilson's vacant Post 2 position, while Post 1 incumbent Jimmy Jones is facing Dexter King, and Post 4 incumbent Greg Goolsby is facing Nikia Davis.
Fort Valley voters will decide three council seats, with one of those now vacant.
Alonzo J. "Zook" Allen and Marvin A. Crafter are competing for the East Ward seat that became vacate with the death of John Ezell on Jan. 31.
Meanwhile, West Ward incumbent Jimmy Barnes is opposed by Kenneth Hill, and at-large incumbent Beth Collins is opposed by LeMario Brown.
In Perry, Councilman Riley Hunt, who represents District 3, Post 2, is challenged for the first time in 12 years by retired schoolteacher Le Ann Tuggle.
If re-elected, Hunt, a retired funeral director, said he work to improve the city's industry. Tuggle said she will work to encourage young people to participate in city government.
Here is a list of candidates in various Middle Georgia cities:
BYRON
Mayor: Lawrence Collins (incumbent)
City Council Post 1: James Richardson (incumbent)
City Council Post 2: Rusty Adams; Rick Knowles
CENTERVILLE
City Council Post 3: J. Michael Evans
City Council Post 4: Jonathan D. Nichols (incumbent); Edward D. Armijo
DUBLIN
Mayor: Phil Best (incumbent)
City Council Ward 1: Bennie Jones
City Council Ward 2: Gary Johnson (incumbent)
City Council Ward 3: Paul Griggs; Keith Griffin
City Council Ward 4: Bill Brown (incumbent); Sophia Jordan
Board of Education District 1: Laura Travick (incumbent)
Board of Education District 2: Peggy Johnson (incumbent)
Board of Education District 3: Bill Perry (incumbent); Ezekiel McWilliams
Board of Education District 4: James Lanier (incumbent); Cherise Blackwell
Board of Education At large: Demetrice Hollis (incumbent); Gregg Washington
EAST DUBLIN
Mayor: George Gornto (incumbent)
City Council Post 1: Braxton Brown Jr. (incumbent)
City Council Post 2: Len Tanner (incumbent)
City Council Post 3: Zilmon Young (incumbent)
City Council At Large: Dent Jackson Jr. (incumbent)
City Council At Large: Al Williams (incumbent)
FORSYTH
Mayor: John Howard (incumbent); Eric Wilson
City Council Post 1: Jimmy Jones (incumbent); Dexter King
City Council Post 2: Alleta Mays; Chris Hewett; Tye Howard
City Council Post 3: Melvin Lawrence (incumbent)
City Council Post 4: Greg Goolsby (incumbent); Nikia Davis
FORT VALLEY
City Council East Ward: Alonzo J. (Zook) Allen; Marvin A. Crafter
City Council West Ward: Jimmy Barnes (incumbent); Kenneth Hill
City Council At Large: Beth Collins (incumbent); LeMario Brown
Utility Commissioner West: Robert T. "Bob" Hunnicut
Utility Commissioner East: Linda D. Johnson
Utility Commissioner At Large: Dollie Horton
GORDON
City Council At Large: Freddie Densley (incumbent); George Wynn (incumbent); Terry Eady (incumbent); James Richard Whipple; Catherine Louviere-Wells; Kay C. Harris
JEFFERSONVILLE
Mayor: Calloway Butler; Charles Williams III; Gloria C. Lewis
City Council District 1: Annie B. Williams (incumbent); Richard Stone (incumbent); Virginia Hollings (incumbent); Daniel Young (incumbent); Frances W. Speele; Jeffrey Lempke; Melvin Hollingsworth
City Council District 2: Mike W. Bryant (incumbent); Tabitha A. Little; Victor L. Jordan (incumbent); Riley Stephens Windham; Jim Jackson Kellom
PERRY
City Council District 1, Post 2: Willie King (incumbent)
City Council District 2, Post 2: William Jackson (incumbent)
City Council District 3, Post 2: Riley Hunt (incumbent); LeAnn Tuggle
ROBERTA
City Council Post 3: Arnita Harris (incumbent)
City Council Post 4: Connie Gibson (incumbent)
City Council Post 5: Robert Cody (incumbent)
WARNER ROBINS
City Council Post 2: Carolyn Robbins (incumbent); Jeffrey Walker
City Council Post 4: Tim Thomas (incumbent); Betsy Loiacono
City Council Post 6: Mike Davis (incumbent); Carmen Antonio
This story was originally published October 31, 2015 at 8:39 PM with the headline "Midstate ballots feature mayoral votes, sales tax questions and more ."