On Tuesday, May 9, Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert made his annual presentation to the public announcing the proposed budget for the next year. The full video of that presentation can be watched by clicking here. You can also download the PDF of the PowerPoint here and a copy of his comments here.
 
During the presentation, the Mayor brought up how much has been accomplished as a consolidated government under the leadership of the Commission, the dedication of the departments to find new ways to operate, and the willingness to work together by the Sheriff, Judges, and Constitutional Officers.
 
“If we are going to build the kind of community we want, it’s going to take all of us working together,” said Mayor Reichert. “Consolidation has been the best thing for us, and we are poised to capture a significant part of the growth that is projects for our part of the country.”
 
The Mayor is proposing a $148 million general fund budget, which is an increase of $4 million from the current budget. The increased budget will allow for Macon-Bibb to provide additional compensation for public safety personnel, additional staff in the Fire Department and Sheriff’s Office, additional staff in Recreation, and make the required contribution to the pension plans.
 
To do this will require a property tax increase of 3 mils, which translates to an increase of $99 for a $100,000 home. The last time taxes were increased was 2012 by the former Bibb County and 2005 by the former City of Macon. Since consolidation in 2014, the budget has been reduced by $20 million, meeting the 20% reduction mandate in the charter. Revenues have also been greatly reduced as the double taxation of the city was eliminated.
 
“Our current shortfall is not a result of excessive spending, it’s a matter of reduced revenue,” adds Mayor Reichert. “We have reduced revenues to an unhealthy level.”
 
Recognizing the burden this will place on taxpayers – while also understanding their desire to have a government that can provide essential services, improve public safety, and maintain the roads, parks, and facilities people use every day – the Mayor pointed out the possibility of a future referendum on an “Other Local Option Sales Tax,” or OLOST. It’s a penny tax that could be used for operations, and it’s approval would trigger a roll back in property taxes. Similar to a SPLOST, a majority of that penny tax would be paid by people who do not live in Macon-Bibb.
 
The Commission will now spend the next several weeks discussing the budget and asking questions. The budget must be approved before June 30, 2017.