Robo redux: Anti-tax hike calls go out
June 25, 2009 at 11:47 am by Scott Henry in News
Robby phone home — to bitch about my tax bill
Yesterday, a fresh round of robo-calls went out across Atlanta, urging homeowners to call their Council member to protest a likely tax increase. Here’s the basic script:
Your Atlanta City Council member is just days away from voting for a massive tax increase. But we can’t afford an increase in property taxes. This is your last chance to voice your concern to Council member _______ before (Thursday’s) scheduled public hearing on this multi-million-dollar tax increase. Urge (him/her) to represent the people of this district by voting “no” on the 29th. Call (him/her) at 404-______ to urge (him/her) to represent the district by and vote “no” on the 29th. Call your Council person today. This call is paid for by the Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation.
Last time, back in May, the calls were creepily anonymous, but they too came from the FCTF. Executive Director Barbara Payne later told me the organization didn’t want people to think it was trying to use the situation to boost its profile or solicit support. But apparently they realized the message carried more authority if they identified themselves.
I’m still not sure how the group decided which Council members to target, since few have gone on record to support the mayor’s proposed 3-mill tax hike. But the Taxpayers Foundation is certainly correct in guessing that, unless you live in Buckhead, your Councilman or -woman will likely vote for the increase come June 29.
Just last week, Councilman Ceasar Mitchell, who’s running for Council president, told me he’s planning to vote for the increase.
“I think citizens are in favor of an increase and we’ll ask them to bear down and invest more in order to deliver critical services and end furloughs,” he explained.
On the other hand, Mitchell drafted a resolution asking Mayor Frankin to justify the tax increase, explaining how the estimated $56 million in additional revenue would be used.
So the Taxpayers Foundation has its work cut out for it. While Mitchell, Joyce Sheperd and a couple other Council members have gone public with their support for the increase, others have said the same privately. But you still have a chance to have your voice heard. Head down to City Hall at 6 tonight for the last of four public hearings before the Council; the microphone will be warmed up and ready to go.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
CFO Jim Glass gives a highly professional presentation at the millage hearings. He emphasizes that the city’s revenues have been flat for several years, which is untenable for the service business that the city is in. Unfortunately, neither he nor Council wants to talk about HOW Atlanta’s rapid growth since 2002 could leave us with no property or sales tax growth. Think tax allocation districts, tax abatements for developers of high rises, funny stuff with tax liens and who knows what for the sales tax leakage.
The real shame is that not one candidate for mayor or council will offer to clean this up and give the ordinary taxpaying residents a break. The winners from diverting revenues must be too powerful. Or the electorate too undemanding.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I’m now tempted to lobby my council rep in favor of the tax increase, just to make FCTA angry. Not that they’re ever NOT angry.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
JoeV, Lobbying in favor of the tax increase will be just as effective as lobbying against it!
Arguably, FCTA have plenty to be angry about. Maybe you’d be mad too if your house had had big reassessments in the past few years. My 2008 city prop tax was 70% higher than in 2001 – same house.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Mine went down this past year.
I didn’t have my own place back in 2001, so I can’t compare back that far.
Then again, housing prices rose faster than inflation during that time, too.