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Macon-Bibb mayor presents balanced $219 million recommended budget, urges "hold the line" approach
Summary
Mayor presented the recommended fiscal year 2026 budget to the Macon‑Bibb County Commission, describing it as balanced and saying the county will not raise the millage rate at this time; he outlined spending priorities and large increases in payroll and public-safety-related costs.
The mayor of Macon‑Bibb County presented his recommended fiscal year 2026 budget to the commission during the pre‑commission meeting, saying the proposal is a balanced budget of roughly $219 million and that he does not expect a millage rate increase. "This is the mayor's recommended budget. This is a balanced budget," the mayor said.
The mayor said the administration will "hold the line" on taxes because of national market uncertainty while maintaining priorities such as public safety, IT, recreation and beautification. He highlighted growth in employee pay and benefits as a primary driver of the county's cost increases: the presentation showed salaries and benefits rising from about $99 million in 2021 to about $123.685 million in the proposed FY2026 budget.
Why it matters: the budget sets county spending priorities and will guide department staffing, capital projects and service levels. The mayor said the commission will hold a public hearing in June and that the commission has final approval; he noted the schedule for tax digest appeals and millage rollback considerations.
The presentation broke out major spending categories and year‑over‑year changes. The mayor emphasized public safety increases across emergency services, law enforcement and court‑related functions; the slides shown at the meeting reported roughly $94 million for a portion of public safety spending and a multi‑year increase of roughly $28 million across public safety program areas compared with 2021. He said court‑related budgets, including the district attorney and public defenders, have increased as well and that the county has added IT funding to address cybersecurity and staffing needs.
The mayor referenced prior, sustained millage rollbacks since 2021 and said property‑tax revenue received by the county has decreased in that span despite rising assessed values; the presentation compared historic property tax revenue totals and sales tax (SPLOST) revenues used to offset property‑tax reductions.
The mayor also noted process points: the recommended budget will be refined after the tax digest and assessment appeals are complete, that the county will publish required notices and that the commission must still vote to adopt a final budget. "We can always readjust and amend our budget as needed," he said.
Ending: The mayor concluded the pre‑commission budget presentation and said the administration will accept questions and meet with commissioners before the formal adoption hearing. The commission did not take any votes on the budget at the pre‑commission meeting.
