Macon, Ga
It's not a spending problem that's led to Macon-Bibb County's budget woes.
Instead the revenue projections have been off by millions of dollars, leading to the county dipping into its reserve funds over the last four years, an auditor said.
The County Commission voted Tuesday to use a different method than a forensic audit to get a better grasp of what's led to an expected increase in property taxes for the second year in a row.
Commissioners Joe Allen and Elaine Lucas suggested a forensic audit last week. They had said while they weren't accusing anyone of wrongdoing, they thought an in-depth analysis was needed into county finances.
And on Tuesday, Allen and Lucas said they just want to ensure that confidence is restored in how Macon-Bibb government is operating.
A forensic audit of the full county's finances would likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take a long time to complete, said Miller Edwards with Mauldin & Jenkins, which has performed Macon-Bibb financial audits since consolidation in 2014.
An extensive examination like a forensic audit would not be feasible unless it focused on certain areas where there appeared to be mishandling of money, he said.
Instead, commissioners said Tuesday they would focus on a less extensive type off audit that can still look into budget areas to see how well they function.
The crux of the county's financial problems is that revenue projections have been way off when budgets are approved, Edwards said.
Over the last several years, property and sales tax revenue has come in a total of $13.7 million less than what was projected.
"Did you know your expenditures have been $14 million under budget? That's a good thing," Edwards said before later adding, "The problem is the revenues are not coming in. The revenues for the city have been $30 million under budget. That's a $30 million difference maker."
Edwards suggested having the budget and finance team under one director and having the County Commission updated more frequently on county finances as ways to get a better grip on the budget.
This story was originally published May 22, 2018 6:48 PM.