Macon-Bibb Commissioners vote to opt out of House Bill 581 after public hearings
The Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to opt out of House Bill 581 following three public hearings on the matter.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to opt out of House Bill 581 following three public hearings on the matter.
The decision means the county will maintain its current tax structure rather than implementing a floating homestead exemption and potential tax modifications outlined in the state bill.
According to county attorney Michael McNeil, HB 581, which was passed by more than 60% of voters statewide in November, gives local governments the option to modify their tax structure. The default under the bill is to opt in, but counties that wish to opt out must do so by March 1. The bill includes a floating homestead exemption that adjusts annually based on inflation and allows local governments to modify sales tax collections to offset lost revenue.
“It is my opinion that our vote will protect the taxpayers in Macon-Bibb County not only for this tax year but in the future,” Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller said before Wednesday’s vote.
Miller said opting into HB 581 could result in a reduction in tax revenue of $8 million to $13 million over a five-year period. The county also does not qualify for the bill’s FLOST (Floating Local Option Sales Tax) because it has already enacted a separate tax option, known as OLOST (Other Local Option Sales Tax).
Only one resident, Davis Sumrall, spoke at the final hearing Wednesday afternoon following two other hearings Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
“If you do opt out, I encourage you to continue to look for ways to shift the burden off the local property owner in Bibb County,” he told commissioners.
Commissioners mentioned concerns about the long-term financial impact of HB 581, with several members saying they originally supported the bill before learning more about it.
“I thought it was going to be the right thing for us to do,” Commissioner Valerie Wynn said. “But now that I’ve looked at it and heard the details about it, I don’t think this is where we need to go.”
Wynn said the bill is complex and could lead to unintended consequences. Commission Bill Howell agreed.
“I think this whole bill is reaction instead of a pro-action against the hyperinflation that we’ve seen in the last several years,” he said.
The commission voted 8-1 in favor of opting out, with Commissioner Raymond Wilder casting the only dissenting vote.
Miller also mentioned the possibility of creating a separate homestead exemption for seniors and other property owners in need of relief.
Macon-Bibb’s decision aligns with other local bodies across the region and state, including the Bibb County School District, that have opted out of HB 581. The commission will now submit its resolution to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office before the March 1 deadline.
