Comments on: City of Briarcliff Initiative and Other Proposed Cities Presenting to DeKalb Delegation Tonight

By: Treed

Treed — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 22:14:35 +0000

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.

By: Ayan

Ayan — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 18:25:46 +0000

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.

By: At Home in Decatur

At Home in Decatur — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 17:28:05 +0000

THAT was funny!

By: JT

JT — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 17:21:09 +0000

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.

By: J_T

J_T — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 17:13:27 +0000

I don’t think we should annex EVERYTHING, just the parts with lots of trees.