Middle GeorgiaThursday, November 5
Macon-Bibb commissioners OK $7 million for the Audi megasite and call a March vote on the penny sales tax
The Daily Warner Robins team
If you've followed the Audi plant planned for Peach County, there's news. Macon-Bibb commissioners agreed Tuesday to put in $7 million toward the Mid-Georgia Gateway Joint Development Authority's megasite deal. Audi's PILOT payments would repay it, and the company must hit job benchmarks to be eligible for incentives.
The Audi megasite deal by the numbers
- $4 billion
- Audi of America manufacturing plant
- 4,500
- jobs mentioned so far
- $7 million
- Macon-Bibb's share of the deal
- 1,500
- acres at the Peach County site
Source: The Macon Newsroom
Mayor Lester Miller said the authority is already looking at a possible second phase and talked of 18 to 20 suppliers coming to the region. Commissioners also voted to let voters decide in March whether to renew the OLOST, the penny sales tax Miller credits with cutting property tax rates.
Macon-Bibb's millage rate fell from 20.33 to 9.575 mills
Source: Macon
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Millage rate before rollback | 20.33 mills |
| Millage rate now | 9.58 mills |
- OLOST: voters would decide on five more years; Board of Elections must approve the ballot item
- PILOT money: Industrial Authority keeps 40% for economic development
- Arena: Miller can allocate the remaining $324 million in bond proceeds
Sources: The Macon Newsroom, Macon