With overwhelming support, voters in Macon-Bibb County approved an Other Local Option Sales Tax, or OLOST, in YEAR that added a one cent sales tax. With that additional penny, the consolidated government was able to help reduce the millage by more than 50%, from 20.331 to 9.575.

The OLOST currently requires a public vote for it to be renewed, and the Macon-Bibb Commission approved calling for that referendum in March 2027. If the OLOST passes, then the sales tax would remain the same as it is now and continue to provide the funding needed to keep the reduced property tax rate.

Last fiscal year, the OLOST provided $44,529,843 in funding for the operations of the government. If the additional penny were to not be renewed, the millage rate would need to be raised 6.36 mills to collect the same in revenue.

“With the OLOST and more effective use of our other funding sources, we have been able to both reduce property taxes and increase the budgets for community-identified priorities,” says Mayor Lester Miller.

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 better used to allow for new initiatives focused on affordable housing, blight remediation, the Macon Violence Prevention program, Macon Mental Health Matters, and Paving the Way.