Bibb school board approves property tax increase

Henry Ficklin stood up and stepped outside during the Bibb County Board of Education’s meeting — as he’s done before votes in past meetings — right before the board voted to raise property taxes. 

By the time he returned, the board had already voted to maintain the millage rate, effectively raising property taxes by roughly 5%. 

The school board held a public hearing Thursday before its final 4-2 vote to maintain the millage rate, a measure expected to net the district $3.8 million and reduce its $20 million 2026 budget deficit down to $16.7 million.

Board members Myrtice Johnson, James Freeman, Sundra Woodford and Lisa Garrett-Boyd voted in favor of the tax increase, while board members Daryl Morton and Barney Hester voted against it. Board member Kristin Hanlon was absent.

Ficklin said the board “disenfranchised” the district he represents, which encompasses downtown Macon and Unionville, when it called for the vote while he was out of the room.

“I let her [board president Myrtice Johnson] know that it was not appreciated and to not disrespect me or any other board member that way,” he said.

Ficklin said he steps out of meetings because of a medical condition. 

Johnson said she did not know why Ficklin stepped out and that he breached protocol by walking out during the meeting. She said she saw no reason to delay the vote if there was no motion to wait for him. 

“He can’t just walk out and come back in,” she said. “It doesn’t work like that.” 

The board voted unanimously to adopt the tentative millage rate back in July and held two public hearings on July 31 for members of the public to share their thoughts.

Johnson said she was “pleased” with the outcome of the vote. She said the district needs the money and the increase will go a long way and at a “minimum cost to our voters.”

Maintaining the rate at 14.674 mills nets the school district $3.8 million. For homeowners the increase means about an additional $50 in annual property taxes for a $200,000 home.

The millage rate is set annually by the school board and determines how much property owners will pay on every $1,000 of taxable property value. The taxable property value in the county has increased by $274 million this year.

Freeman said he wouldn’t have voted in favor of a millage rate increase, but maintaining the rate keeps property tax rates at a “nominal amount.” He said the board has already made cuts in the face of unfunded mandates, such as new state health insurance costs. 

“I think maintaining the level we’re at, as Ms. Johnson pointed out, for a minimum increase per household, less than $4 a month per household, is the most financially responsible thing to do when we have those huge expenditures coming out that we weren’t accounting for,” he said.

Ficklin said he would have voted against the tax increase because members of his district want to keep in line with the county’s trend of rolling back the millage rate. 

He added that the district needs to look again at cutting unnecessary spending, as “little things roll into big things.”

The board had previously rolled back the millage rate every year from 2020-24, then voted to maintain the rate last year at what it is now.

Bibb Schools CFO Eric Bush told the board that maintaining the millage rate this year should keep the general fund balance ratio at a “tolerable” level, above 12%, through 2027. 

The board will reconvene next Thursday at 4:00 at the Professional Learning Center off Riverside Drive.