Byrne speaks out -- policy or politics?

Bill Kinney is associate editor of the Marietta Daily Journal. In his Around Town column on June 3 he wrote:

Byrne bashes Olens' plan for November parks issue

Look for former Cobb Commission Chairman Bill Byrne to announce his campaign plans for the 2008 county election as he seeks to re-capture the job he held for 10 years.

Incumbent Sam Olens first indicated he wouldn't run for re-election, then re-considered and said he might after all. Politicos say Olens' position change might be because he does not want to appear to be a lame duck during the more than two years remaining on his term.

Meanwhile, in what might be the first salvo of his re-election campaign, Byrne in a letter to Around Town was sharply critical of how a parks bond referendum this fall would be funded.

"I totally support the concept of preserving open space for future park development in Cobb County," he wrote.

"As our growth continues, open space becomes much more valuable as a quality of life issue," said Byrne, adding "I applaud the community leaders in Cobb for addressing and defining the importance of the issue. However, as sound as the idea is, financing and implementing the concept is now the real debate.

"Issuing $40 million in General Obligation bonds, as proposed by Chairman Olens, is clearly NOT the way to go. His proposal unilaterally passes debt onto the next generation. With two SPLOST programs in Cobb County today, we are already taxed to the maximum.

"We should professionally define our needs and the costs for implementation and place the issue on the November General Election ballot for Cobb's voters to decide. It is very clear that the credibility and integrity of Cobb's government are in question and only the voters should determine major tax issues. We should move aggressively, but carefully, to define the program and allow the November ballot to determine its future."

Byrne did not suggest a preferable way of paying for the park land.

Olens and the Cobb Parks Coalition, the group pushing for the referendum, say the land for parks can be acquired without a tax increase, and the chairman said late Friday it will be on the November ballot, although no official action toward that end has happened yet.
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