11 months ago
State Rep. David Lucas says he's dropping his request to use local hotel-motel tax revenues to help fund a proposed Macon amphitheater.
He said he hopes that will settle the logjam over a proposal to support Macon's music and sports halls of fame.
Lucas says he still supports a three-way split that will provide money for the Douglass Theatre, which may still put him at odds with other local legislators.
The dispute over how to spend the hotel-motel funds has divided local legislators and city council members and stalled legislation aimed at supporting the halls of fame. Lucas said he could not support the bill unless it included money for the amphitheater.
Lucas said he's changed his mind, in part, because a private party, "someone that I've trusted for 20 years," has agreed to fund a feasibility study on a 25,000-seat stadium or amphitheater in Macon. He would not identify the party or say how much the study would cost.
Lucas said Wednesday afternoon that he'd talked about his change of heart to state Rep. Allen Peake, who said he'd "have to think about it."
Peake said this weekend that he could agree to a three-way split of the tax money, with 75 percent split evenly between the halls of fame and 25 percent going to the Douglass. He says the maximum amount of money possible is needed for the halls. Lucas said he wants to split the money three ways, evenly.
Based on the estimated amount that would be raised by the tax, about $400,000, the Douglass would get about $33,000 more under Lucas's plan than under the split favored by Peake, and the two halls of fame about $17,000 less each.
Macon's city council adjourned a special meeting Monday without voting on Lucas's earlier proposal for the four-way split. Mayor Robert Reichert called the special meeting.
The council listened to the Mayor's presentation in support of the Lucas plan and adjourned without acting on the proposal.
The council already endorsed raising the hotel-motel tax from 6 cents to 7 cents solely to support the Georgia Sports and Music halls of fame. State legislative leaders have threatened to move the halls of fame out of Macon if they do not become financially self-sufficient.
On Monday, council President Miriam Paris says the decision to adjourn shows that council stands behind its original proposal of a 50-50 split for the Halls of Fame.
Peake says if they got a resolution from city council and county commission for the three-way split by next Wednesday, which is day 39 of the session, they could probably still move on that and respond.
But he does not expect that to happen, after the results of Monday's council meeting.
Peake says on Thursday, the House will vote on the two-way split because that is the only plan on the table approved by the city council and county commission.
He says he expects it to pass the House and move on to the Senate.
According to Peake, Senator Cecil Staton will support the two-way split.
He says it will then be up to Macon Senator Robert Brown, who must act on the legislation by next Wednesday.
Peake says he hopes Brown will do what's best for the community, rather than pursue personal, pet projects.
Peake says he wants to fund the museums, and keep them alive in Macon.
Senator Brown says he has no comment on the issue.
The 40 day session is scheduled to end Friday, April 3.
The legislature may be running out of time to fund the museums, however. Wednesday is day 38 of the 40-day session.
