Bibb school board member expresses frustration with colleagues over millage rate vote
Dr. Henry Ficklin, who represents district 2 on the school board, says the vote took place after he stepped out due to an ongoing medical issue that other board members were aware of.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Following last night’s 4-2 vote in favor of maintaining the millage rate, a Bibb County School Board member is calling out his colleagues.
Dr. Henry Ficklin, who represents district 2 on the school board, says the vote took place after he stepped out due to an ongoing medical issue that other board members were aware of. The vote means that property owners will see a roughly 5% increase in property taxes. Ficklin says moving forward with the vote in his absence was not only disrespectful to him, but to his constituents as well.
“Certainly, it disenfranchised district 2 voters that I represent,” Ficklin said. “One of the most important things that a representative has who have been voted into an office by the people in their district is that they go there and vote. That’s the most important thing that we do when we serve in elected office.”
Ficklin says he made the initial motion to maintain the current millage rate of 14.674 mills. But he says community feedback and the board’s $20 million budget deficit led him to change his opinion, and he says he was prepared to vote against maintaining the rate. Ficklin adds that board members haven’t gotten answers on the budget deficit, and he called on the school district to be more transparent.
“I have always believed in a balanced budget,” Ficklin said. “You don’t spend no more than you get in. And of course that has been my way of operation. But on the school board, it seems there is a different kind of operation. I would like to have a line-item budget so that we can see actually what’s going on, but that has not been provided to us.”
There’s still an opportunity for local tax relief as Macon-Bibb commissioners are set to vote on a millage rate rollback next Tuesday.
