If Macon-Bibb County residents want to see roads paved, they had better vote to renew the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST. (2:36 into video)
That’s the message Mayor Lester Miller delivered on January’s Ask Mayor Miller program.
“It will not happen without the one penny renewal. Simply can’t happen without raising taxes by a significant amount,” Miller said.
During the program Miller also delved into the possibility of additional traffic cameras to catch red light runners, (17:26), the status of blight mitigation, (20:11), public safety wages, (15:10), Lake Tobesofkee renovations, (21:45), and repairing the levee along the Ocmulgee River, (3:36).
Through a March 18 special election, voters will consider renewing the one-penny SPLOST to generate $450 million over 10 years. The mayor explained the SPLOST approved in 2018 that is set to expire in the coming months is how the county has been purchasing public safety vehicles, improving technology, building new facilities and seeding economic development through the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority.
“If you didn’t want to do the one penny, you’d have to raise the millage rate 7.5 mills per year to meet those same goals,” he said.
Sales tax collections show 71% of the revenue is paid by people who live outside the county, he said.
Although the Macon Water Authority requested $72 million in funding if the 2025 SPLOST passes, Miller stopped short of committing to provide the money. He referenced the intergovernmental agreement to turn over stormwater management to MWA, which predated his administration.
“Part of that contract calls for them to repair the levee and for them to collect stormwater fees and take care of all those things,” Miller said. “So, you can’t contract that away in exchange for not getting a franchise fees tax and then turn around and ask us to kind of pay for everything. But having said that, certainly we have some concern about stuff about the levee.”
He plans to consult the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and MWA Executive Director Ron Shipman to see what could be done if the SPLOST passes.
In submitting a question for the program, Macon native Timothy Brown suggested the county replace the Macon Coliseum, which Miller has been floating for months.
“You can’t have a great tourism attraction in Macon-Bibb County without having a fabulous coliseum, so that’s something certainly on the horizon,” Miller said.
The resolution authorizing the SPLOST referendum also allows the county to issue up to $100 million in bonds that would be repaid once the tax dollars come in. Having the money up front would allow the work to begin before the money comes in.
“It’s done every single time. It’s just based on collections,” Miller said. “That money is paid out of the SPLOST collection so there’s no incurment of debt for the property tax owners.”
Leftover funds from 2018 will likely go toward other projects but paying off debt Miller inherited from previous administrations is a priority, he said.
Public safety, more traffic cams?
The final big project from 2018’s list is renovating the Bibb County Courthouse. A design firm is exploring the feasibility of creating a new atrium entrance on Mulberry Street while heightening security for prisoners, judges and staff.
In another question from the public, Joshua Benfield asked when pay for Bibb County sheriff’s deputies will match surrounding counties, but Miller disputed any disparity. (15:10)
“Our pay is commensurate with anybody around. I would disagree with anybody who says it’s not,” Miller said.
He noted there have been salary raises each year since he was elected. Plus, incentive bonuses, overtime pay and other benefits, such as using county patrol cars for moonlighting, are not calculated into base salaries.
“We’re going to have to work on those response times, get a better response time, a better product before we continue to just keep pouring money in there,” he said.
The county could see additional revenue coming in from future traffic light cameras. Miller recently asked on social media for the county’s worst intersections for drivers running red lights. (17:26)
“We’ve been asked by a lot of people to do that. Of course, they asked for the speed zone cameras, too, and then when they get them they may not want them because they get a ticket,” he said.
If the county doesn’t proceed with additional cameras, the information from the public could help deputies patrol those intersections where violations regularly occur.
Millions of dollars from school speed zone cameras already have been invested in public safety for surveillance cameras and crossing guards, but Miller said the county will abide by any changes in that law at the State Capitol. (16:31)
Rep. Dale Washburn said the automated system entraps motorists and is working to overturn the law.
Miller also believes the state law needs some tweaking.
“Whatever they do in the state, we’ll support that. We follow the law like everyone else,” he said.
Blight, Lake Tobesofkee proposal
Macon-Bibb’s blight fight is progressing to the next phase of rebuilding now that there’s a director for the affordable housing fund. (20:11)
“We’re anxiously getting some of that money into play. Now we’ve got a couple of projects out there, and we’ve got some training seminars coming up, and we’ve got some investors that want to invest in the housing to infill,” Miller said.
The Lovejoy Capital unsolicited proposal for “glamping” and a world-class maze for Lake Tobesofkee will proceed with public input meetings beginning as soon as February, he said.
Campsites for recreational vehicles got a recent upgrade and streets around the lake are set to be paved.
Miller sits down for an interview with the Center for Collaborative Journalism each month. Send your questions for the next Ask Mayor Miller to [email protected].