Libraries, Buses, Rec Centers In Danger In Macon

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Macon-Bibb County Commissioners Valerie Wyn, third from left, and Mallory Jones, right, spearheaded an effort to derail a proposed property tax hike in Macon Tuesday. / GPB

Published August 7, 2018

The Macon-Bibb County Commission failed to set a new property tax rate after a contentious meeting Tuesday. That means some services could grind to a halt. 

Local libraries were already within a week of running out of money when commissioners went at each other in a debate over a substantial increase in property taxes Tuesday night. Ultimately, commissioners could find no middle ground and tabled the issue. Macon-Bibb County commissioners failed to set a new property tax rate during Tuesday's meeting.

That means the county has no tax rate or revenue stream. It also means Scherryl Morgan’s husband who works in the Parks and Recreation department will be getting a month’s notice he’s losing his job this week. But Morgan said she is more worried about the children the recreation department serves. 

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"Where will they go?" she asked. "They may as well put that extra money in the court system because that’s where they will be headed."

Commissioners tabled the tax issue before they knew whether it would take two days or two weeks to take it back up. In the latter case, libraries, buses and other agencies will be flat broke before debate even begins again.