Mayor Lester Miller presented his proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget to the Commission and public on Tuesday, May 19, and it includes increases to priority areas and no millage rate increase. The meeting and presentation can be watched by clicking here. All information (including the proposed budget, presentation, meeting videos, timelines, required advertisement, and more) are being posted online at www.maconbibb.us/proposedfy27budget.
There will be a public hearing on the budget on Tuesday, June 2, at 5:30 p.m. It will be held in Commission Chambers in City Hall (700 Poplar Street) and can be watched live at www.facebook.com/maconbibbcounty.
“It is through our budget that we set our priorities for the year based on what we hear from the general public, our departments, and our partners,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “I am proud that – even with the uncertainty in the economy – we are able to increase funding in many areas, avoid decreases to others, and still not raise the millage rate.”
Since 2021 when Mayor Miller took office, funding has increased for public safety ($31,706,734), recreation ($3,344,268), beautification ($1,882,418), information technology ($3,874,469), and employee salaries and benefits ($22,706,610). Funding has also been identified and combined from a variety of sources to allow for affordable housing, blight remediation, the Macon Violence Prevention program, Macon Mental Health Matters, and Paving the Way.
“While this budget reflects our General Fund, we have worked with the Commission and our Finance team to supplement those funds with the SPLOST, OLOST, ARPA, and more to put true community-improvement programs in place,” says Mayor Miller. “We’re removing dangerous structures from neighborhoods, building new affordable housing, paving more than 160 miles of road in a year, reducing our homicide rate, and so much more. That would not be possible with the dedication of our team members and amazing partner organizations.”
Even with the increases, the millage rate has been reduced by more than 50%, from 20.331 to 9.575, and funding for community and department-identified priority areas have been increased. Though the final millage rate recommendation will not be made until later in the summer when the Tax Digest is complete, the Mayor has no intention of raising it.
“Our families are facing the same uncertainty in the economy that we as a government are facing, and this would not be the time to create any additional hardships on them,” he says. “I’m proud of our departments for being able to hold the line on their spending by focusing it on our community’s priorities and the most immediate needs, and I’m proud of our budget and finance teams for building a budget that supports their work.”