One of the things I’ve noticed about the evolving discourse over annexation here is the general lack of concern over higher taxes.  It’s got me intrigued.

The city commission has always stated that the reason it has been considering annexation is to keep ahead of the higher millage that will become inevitable without it.  But from what I’ve observed here, it seems like a significant portion of vocal participation on this site doesn’t really have a problem with paying more in taxes to retain the current level of city services.

Is this true?  Let’s put it to a vote!

What’s better than a crappy online poll that skews towards those with lots of time to burn on blogs (read: white collar)?  Well, we can check the 2008 city survey, which shows that 64% ranked the value of services for taxes paid to the city as “good” or “excellent”.

Not a perfect comparison, but its as close as we can get.  I don’t think its too much of a stretch to assume that anyone who feels that taxes are too high wouldn’t rate “value” highly of a survey.

So maybe taxes aren’t as big an issue as the city thinks.  Or maybe, this site discussion is just the city’s upper-crust ruminating amongst ourselves.

19 soaking wet Lawn & Leaf bags for the compost pickup guys.

Sorry about that fellas.  Try not to look at my neighbor’s 20 across the street.

This must be one of the worst Tuesday pickups of the year!

Walking by the 335 building last night, my wife noticed a yellow permit in the window of the old Century 21.  Snapping out of my unobservant coma, I subsequently noticed that the Century 21 sign had also been recently taken down.

Does this space finally have a new tenet?  Its been vacant most of the year.

Anyone know who/what it will be?

UPDATE: Catherine gives us the answer in the comments section!

Steve Fennessy over at Cityscape reports that Andisheh Nouraee is also leaving Creative Loafing, in editor Ken Edelstein’s wake.

“What happened today is just one symptom of the overall reason, that I don’t want to work there full-time anymore,” Nouraee said.

Aside from Nouraee being an integral cornerstone of the publication, that leaves CL with just three news writers and NO editors, according to Fennessy.

Lord, the wheels seem to be coming off.  This sucks.

Creative Loafing Atlanta has fired its editor Ken Edelstein, according to the AJC.

Not good.  Not good.  My best to you guys…especially Tom and Andy.

UPDATE: xokyditive links to a more detailed post by Atlanta Magazine’s Steve Fennessy, who has covered the CL bankrupcy story better than anyone since the beginning.  Apparently it wasn’t pretty.  Tears were shed.

Geez….

Rus forwards this AJC article regarding the recent tension between Decatur First Baptist and the Georgia Southern Baptists over female pastor Julie Pennington-Russell.

A check of the timestamp confirms this article was written yesterday, and not a half-century ago as first suspected.

In case you haven’t seen the latest issue of Atlanta Magazine, Decatur Metro and InDecatur have been awarded Atlanta Magazine’s 2008 “Best of Atlanta” award for “best neighborhood news”!

Along with Catherine and Lauren’s AsianCajuns, which won “best local style blog”, Decatur is very well-represented in the online section of the awards this year.

I had been holding onto this story until I could get my hands on a hard copy of the mag, but Catherine spilled the beans over at The Decatur Minute earlier today, so I thought I better just get it out there!

Oh, and make sure to click over to The Minute to check out all the brick-and-mortar Decatur winners!

Congrats all!

UPDATE: Here’s the blurb…

“InDecatur and Decatur Metro’s prespectives on this DeKalb berg may differ slightly – “The town you’d get if you bred Berkeley with Mayberry” and “An independent voice in an independent city,” respectively – but what these two blogs offer does not: copious posts on anything and everything Decatur.  Want to know what type of restaurant is opening on East Ponce?  InDecatur will provide an annotated photo of the space, along with the inside scoop gathered by intrepid sources (aka fellow Decaturites).  Want an update on development issues, such as with the citywide Wi-Fi will be in effect?  Decatur Metro will contact the city manager.”

Actually I’d contact Andrea.