2025 A Look Back: Third Time’s a charm award: Macon County
The nature of growth requires counties to constantly develop and improve to keep facilities safe, reliable and up to fulfilling the needs of communities.
Voters in Macon County will have a chance to pass the buck, in a sense, on vital projects looming not far on the horizon. Some are so close you can smell them.
In December, the county commission voted to approve a bond for over $10 million to fund the construction of two new landfill cells, which should be built just in the nick of time to start receiving waste.
If only there was a way to make less of it. But here we are, with a big ol’ bond payment coming up every six months.
For voters to see a bond referendum on the ballot, commissioners must vote in favor. This has happened twice before.
A referendum to implement the quarter-cent sales tax appeared on the ballot in 2022. During the General Election, 15,124 people voted, with 55% voting against the measure and 45% voting in favor.
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In March 2024, commissioners voted to put a quarter-cent sales tax hike on the ballot again, this time aiming to fund construction of a new high school. However, like before, the measure was shot down, albeit by a slimmer margin. Of the 21,905 ballots cast in the county, 51.22% were against the referendum and 48.78% voted in favor.
It often happens that counties pass such measures on the third attempt.
If it’s passed, it will raise the tax so that, for every $100 spent, people pay an extra quarter. This would generate million more in annual revenue, and out-of-town shoppers would contribute greatly to that.
Macon voters have the chance to finally vote favorably on the referendum, and here’s to hoping they do, because there will be always be garbage.
