On Tuesday, December 10, Macon-Bibb County launched a new interactive online map to show how funds from the voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax are being spent on projects. The map can be accessed by clicking here or by visiting www.maconbibb.us and clicking on the banner image.

“The best thing about this web site is the transparency it brings to our SPLOST spending,” says SPLOST Advisory Committee Chair Jeffery Monroe. “Macon-Bibb citizens can now see for themselves how, when, and where their SPLOST dollars are being spent.”

“We want to provide people with an interactive and easy to access way to learn about the SPLOST projects. With this new tool, we can provide descriptions of the projects and show people where the improvements are being made,” says Assistant to the County Manager for Public Affairs Chris Floore.

The projects have been divided into five focus: Economic Development, Public Safety, Recreation & Cultural Arts, Infrastructure, and Debt Retirement. On the map, you can view the projects by these focus areas or as a county-wide program, as well as read short descriptions of each project. By clicking on an individual project in the list or on the map, you will be able to view the project’s budget, amended budget, what was spent in prior years, what is budgeted for the current year, and how much remains to be spent.

Each month, these figures will be updated based on monthly financial reports that have been regularly released to the public throughout the SPLOST program. The creation of this map is an effort to improve the way people can learn about how the voter-approved penny tax is being spent and progress on individual projects.

In order to continue increasing the amount of specific, detailed information available – as well as to improve the ease of access to that information – Macon-Bibb County will be:

• Adding more detailed information to projects and project areas. (For example, street and sewer repairs are single line items in the financial statements, but we are working to mark on the map where that work is occurring.)
• Creating a single webpage featuring all SPLOST information and/or links to content.
• Developing more MaconBibbTV video features of individual projects as milestones are reached.