Comments on: Franklin’s proposed tax-increase budget headed to Council

By: Turner

Turner — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:44:25 +0000

I’m outraged. I went to the last budget meeting Public Hearing and was 15 minutes late AND I MISSED IT!!

They didn’t even have 15 minutes to talk about the rate and it was the subject of the Public Meeting.

If this Council isn’t even offering alternatives it might as well be a landslide vote.

By: Frankly

Frankly — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:33:07 +0000

This proposal should be an outrage to city residents. You shouldn’t have to raise taxes to pay for public safety. As a municipal government, that should be priority NUMBER ONE Ms Franklin! All of other wasteful and unneccessary crap in this ciyt needs to be cut first if you have to furlough police and fire.

By: S. Dekalb Voter

S. Dekalb Voter — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:20:00 +0000

Hall, Mitchell will probably vote for if it looks like it will pass.

By: ATL Handicapper

ATL Handicapper — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:14:52 +0000

Here’s my early line on what happens to Mayor Frsanklin’s tax hike proposal. It passes 8-7 as follows:

FOR:
Anne Fauver
Carla Smith
Joyce Sheperd
Jim Maddox
Ivory Young
Felicia Moore
CT Martin
Cleta Winslow

AGAINST:
Kwanza Hall
Natalyn Archabong
Ceaser Mitchell
Lamar Willis
Mary Norwood
Claire Muller
Howard Shook

Any other opinions?

By: Turner

Turner — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:16:10 +0000

The only thing the Growth has given us is an increase in the cost of servicing this city.

Expenses have grown with the population. Revenues, just simple property tax revenues, 75% of our income, Inflation Adjusted has decreased.

By: S. Dekalb Voter

S. Dekalb Voter — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:49:11 +0000

Most of the council members are too lazy to put in the effort to find the money. I bet very few of them have tried.

The worst is Norwood, whose excuse is “I can’t trust the admin’s numbers”. You’ve been on the council for 7.5 years and don’t know how to find what you’re looking for in City Hall. Pretty scary if you ask me.

By: Brian Collins

Brian Collins — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:36:40 +0000

I recall Mayor Franklin saying that if the Council wanted to end furloughs, they had to “show her the money”. I wonder if anyone of them have?

I mean, she says there is no money to pay for it, and some of them say there is, she says “show me”, and what happens? Did anyone show her?

I just want a fully-staffed APD. If they have already cut “to the bone” then increases are necessary. If they haven’t, someone needs to step up and find the money, if they haven’t already.

By: Analogizer

Analogizer — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:19:51 +0000

The theory is that some council members will vote in favor of a tax increase because of police furloughs. I hope that those voting in favor of the increase will see a new phenomenon: City Council Members furloughs come November.

By: Julian Bene

Julian Bene — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:40:55 +0000

The TADs do not explain Atlanta’s rapid growth this decade. The surge in demand for in-town living is the explanation, along with a housing boom that led folks to build big homes in town. Much of the high-rise growth was in non-TAD Buckhead and Midtown. There was in fact ‘only’ $13mm of 2008 city property tax on the growth in the TADs.

Abatements appear to be the main reason that the 50% increase in the value of Atlanta property growth has not translated into any increased revenue for the city. Rollbacks in millage are part of it, too. And a very high amount of uncollected tax. It all adds up to Atlanta homeowners picking up the tab both for developer giveaways (that provide no benefit to us) and for tax deadbeats from whom the city / county appear unable or unwilling to collect.

By: S. Dekalb Voter

S. Dekalb Voter — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:34:29 +0000

Nobody likes taxes, but you probably wouldn’t have that “rapid growth” without TAD’s.