Macon-Bibb District 6 Candidates Hold Political Forum

LIZELLA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Voters in Macon’s District 6 got the chance to hear from the three candidates running for their seat on the new consolidated government.

At Rose of Sharon Church in Lizella Macon City Councilman Ed DeFore, former Bibb Commission candidate Robert Abbott, and former Macon City Finance Director Adah Roberts all answered questions from constituents and outlined their platforms.

DeFore said he wants to focus on cutting crime and taxes. Abbott says he prides himself in being fiscally conservative, and refuses to raise taxes if he’s elected. Roberts says she is not a career politician, and she feels she brings a unique background to the commissioners race.

41NBC spoke with Norman Brown, a voter, who says the forum was helpful but candidates failed to present a specific plan on how to help Macon-Bibb grow economically.

“If you don’t want to raise the taxes, in my mind, broaden the tax base,” says Brown. “Bring new companies here. If you do, you’ve got to have education for the children, and we need the children educated so we can fill the jobs. I was looking for something more comprehensive.”

The forum mostly focused on helping grow the local economy, by bringing new businesses into the city.
Roberts says she wants to work together with groups like Newtown Macon and see what has worked in the past in terms of economic development, and throw out what isn’t working.