Macon, Georgia

It is Budget setting time for the next fiscal year in Middle Georgia. Not only the City of Macon, the County of Bibb and the Bibb County School Board are all busy establishing what it will take to serve and protect for the coming year. This along with the recent assessment notices which everybody received the last week of May 2006 has everyone in Bibb County excited and also concerned. With the phenomal growth in the 2006 Tax Digest, without a Millage Roll Back all of the governments concerned will have a plentiful income. However, Georgia law requires that the Millage Rates be rolled back upon the establishment of a new Tax Digest unless the Budget establishing organizations conduct three public meetings. We have been informed that everyone now plans to establish budgets which will be set with the rolled back Millage Rates. It will be interesting to wait and watch to see if this actually happens.

I suspect that the increased Tax Digest will tempt some organization of our Local Governments to possibly roll back the Millage Rate, but not all the way back to eliminate any increased revenue. I would suspect that the City of Macon will be the first government tempted to do this. Macon needs to build up the Cash Reserves so that in the future they will not have to obtain any loans each Summer to meet payroll until the first half of Property Taxes are collected in October. I am all for prudent financial management and I support the City of Macon rebuilding their Cash Reserves. But the image I have selected to accompany this Blog indicates what it will take. I sincerely hope that Macon, Georgia uses this opportunity to rebuild the cash reserves of the city. The time will never be better than right now. A bitter pill to swallow, to be sure, but one that needs to be consumed.