City of Briarcliff Initiative and Other Proposed Cities Presenting to DeKalb Delegation Tonight
Decatur Metro | January 22, 2014The City of Briarcliff Initiative sent out this press release/reminder today…
Briarcliff to Present at Wednesday January 22nd Joint Meeting of the DeKalb Delegation
Atlanta, GA, January 22, 2014 — The City of Briarcliff Initiative will present at a joint meeting of the DeKalb House and Senate delegation. The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Manual Maloof Auditorium on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. The event starts at 6:30 p.m.
Briarcliff presented at the Capitol in a joint meeting of the DeKalb Delegation of the Georgia House and Senate earlier in the month on Thursday, January 9, 2014. A follow up public meeting that allowed public questions and answers was requested. The Wednesday, January 22, 2014 meeting at the Maloof Auditorium follows the below agenda.
- 6:30 p.m. – 6:40 p.m. Welcome and Introductions
- 6:40 p.m. – 7:25 p.m. DeKalb County Board of Education
- 7:25 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. City of Briarcliff Initiative
- 7:40 p.m. – 7:55 p.m. Lakeside City Alliance
- 7:55 p.m. – 8:10 p.m. City of Tucker Initiative
- 8:10 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. Interim CEO Lee May
- 8:50 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Citizen Question and Answers
To Maloof Auditorium is located at 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur, GA.
Latest from Decaturish
We need to annex everything NOW! I propose extending the city’s borders south to Stockbridge, east to Snellville, north to Alpharetta. We’re good to the west. And let’s move the Braves to the new Decatur while we’re at it.
Sorry, I’m still punchy after staying up too late to attend the tree ordinance meeting as part of the peanut gallery.
I don’t think we should annex EVERYTHING, just the parts with lots of trees.
THAT was funny!
Ok. But this is a symptom of failed leadership. Indicted leadership for corruption at that. No more cities. Let’s fix it.
I was there and this looks very messy from the outside. I haven’t been following closely and have only a loose sense of legalities, but if these municipalities happen, how does it play out? Would they all need to agree on a common map? The biggest fight — apart from DeK vs the whole thing — seems to be Tucker vs. Briarcliff over NL mall. They somehow agree on a map, with Briarcliff possibly agreeing to carve out commercial plus substantial residential for Mayor Baskett and friends, then everyone on the map gets a yea or nay vote on whether to join whichever municipality the various parties have drawn up?
Or is it more ad hoc, with multiple maps, possibly conflicting maps, each requiring its own legislative sponsor? It seemed last night like only Lakeside had an actual sponsor, but that’s a guess. Or is there no need for a sponsor if you seek a vote in the area?
What seemed clear to me last night is that, although this could have a potentially huge impact on Decatur, tax and school-wise, Decatur is a small piece of this big tangled puzzle. And DeK, having suffered so many self-inflicted wounds, could really be decimated. (The interim CEO, Lee May, seemed impressive, btw.)
It wouldn’t decimate Dekalb any more than Decatur did. CItyhood in North Decatur means a transfer of certain county services to more local control by those who live in the neighborhood. This will save Dekalb dollars for other areas. Don’t buy the hype from the county–this is a positive, pro-active development. Raise a nearby area and all boats rise.
Briarcliff and Tucker can work out a compromise, certainly.
The danger is Lakeside–that’s a bad plan for the community on many levels, and they need to be voted down. Fiscal conservatives look at the numbers and the economic potential. There is no arguing that Briarcliff is the runaway leader. 50% more usable funds available to residents for area improvements. And, bonus, Briarcliff doesn’t split up historic areas randomly, has the most comprehensive business tax base, and has community borders we already recognize as real. It’s Briarcliff or nothing. If anyone is truly preferring to get behind Lakeside’s inferior fiscal plan…you really do have to wonder what their ulterior motive is.
My vote is for a three-year moratorium on the decision so that voters in all of the affected municipalities can be informed as to the pros and cons – THEN we decide.
For the record, I think the City of Briarcliff initiative makes the most sense and I would support it. It’s drawn on clear geographic lines (not gerrymandered or cherry-picked) and includes a diverse mix of income levels, commercial, and residential. BUT BUT BUT. Brookhaven is having troubles from rushing to cityhood after that debacle with the property taxes being mis-assessed (I firmly believe cityhood would not have happened there if they hadn’t coasted on the tide of property tax outrage). There is no firm word on how Dekalb County as a whole or adjacent cities/municipalities would be affected. And VERY few voters seem informed about the choices or their repercussions, and what voters don’t understand, they typically leave unchecked on the ballot. This is a decision that should not be railroaded through by a small percent of voters.
Adjacent cities are not impacted in any way shape or form – except they can no longer annex nearby territories.
Neither is DeKalb County.
Do not fall for their scare tactics. The only changes are in municipal services: police, fire, parks, garbage pickup, planning. The new city – just like Decatur decades ago – takes over those services. The county no longer provides them. The county cuts back on planners and police who are no longer needed. The new city hires them. Local people make local decisions on local government, including the possibility of paying higher taxes for more service on those issues.
The county continues to provide health, senior services, homelessness, courts, tax administration, etc. Do not let them fool you that they are harmed.
They are different, But so what? There’s no guarantee that the county would always provide the same services or that it should.
Now this doesn’t mean that the new city residents are better off either, just that they have local control of these local services.