The results of the 2010 Decatur Citizen Survey are included at the back of the 2010-2011 Decatur budget now posted online.   As always, I find this document to be the closest thing to a reality-check that we have to gauge overall Decatur opinion against the “survival of the loudest, most verbose and persuasive” of DM.

The breakdowns for the “policy questions” are among the most interesting.  Here’s the first one…

“In today’s current economic condition, it is the City’s goal to maintain the existing levels of service at current property tax rates.  If that is not possible, which of the following would you prefer?

• Maintain levels of service, increase tax rate up to one-half of a mill ($100 per year on a $400,000 property) – 45%
• Maintain levels of service, increase tax rate up to one mill ($200 per year on a $400,000 property) – 14%
• Maintain tax rate, decrease levels of service – 24%
• Decrease tax rate no matter how much it decreases levels of service – 17%

These Schumacher real estate posts have become an exciting guessing game for us.

While rarely going to the extent of naming a business outright , the site often describes a business in such great detail that it narrows the possibilities to just two or three parties.

But with this post, it was pretty obvious who was being discussed.

One of Atlanta’s and the country’s premiere listening rooms for performing songwriters, located in a vibrant, artist-friendly and pro-business community with a small town feel – yet just minutes from downtown Atlanta.

…The business produces a weekly radio show featuring live recordings from the venue that currently airs in over 40 markets across the Southeast, and has recently created a TV Pilot in conjunction with one of this country’s finest post production companies that is being reviewed by several networks.

Decatur Eddie’s Attic seems to be the only business in all of metro Atlanta that would fit that bill.

So what’s up?  Is Eddie’s Attic for sale?  Is it going anywhere?

Read the rest of this entry »

Decatur’s 2010-2011 city budget is now online and ready for your perusal.

To view the full 235 page document (pdf), CLICK HERE.  To view individual sections of the budget document, CLICK HERE and scroll down a bit.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Decatur will hold its millage rate from last year, which thanks to a decline in property reassessments and other property will result in a total budget that is slightly smaller than last year.

Decatur will pull $700,000 out of its reserve fund to fund the 2010-2011 budget.   The city did the same thing last year, and according to the AJC, has used $400,000 of the $700,000 reserve fund money earmarked for the current 2009-2010 budget year.

The John-Kessler-Restaurant-Tip-Explosion-O-Rama continues!

The third restaurant tip in two days from Mr. Kessler…

Suno Dessert Café will open a new location near Emory University, at the corner of N. Decatur Road and Clairmont Road, later this month. The Korean-style dessert features freshly shaved milky ice topped with fruit, powders, beans, syrups, condensed milk and various other options.

I can’t be sure, but the location mentioned on Sonu’s website makes it sound like it’s going into the old Jake’s location across from Publix on North Decatur Road.

John’s got a pic of a Sonu strawberry/kiwi dessert he devoured in Duluth last week in his AJC post if you want more of a glimpse of what’s in store.

Sunday Paper just released their Reader’s Choice winners for 2010 and there are quite of few Decatur and Decatur-ish mentions!  Here’s my summary.  Let me know if I missed any!

Food and Drink

• Best Pub Food – The Marley House  (Runner Up: The Brick Store)
• Best Overall Bar & Best Beer Selection – Brick Store Pub
• Best Seafood – (Runner Up: Wahoo! Grill)
• Best Indian – Bhojanic
• Best Italian – Figo
• Best Irish Bar – (Runner Up: The Marley House)

City Living

• Best ITP Neighborhood – Decatur
• Best Neighborhood to Raise Your Kids – Decatur
• Best Local College or University – Emory

Read the rest of this entry »