Poll Results Indicate Resounding Support for Park Bonds!

Exciting news! The professional pollsters testing the park bonds idea with voters were rocked by the wide margin of voter support of the $40 million parks bonds! Read on:

FROM THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL

Monday, June 26, 2006
Poll: Majority would vote yes on park bond
By Michael French
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
MARIETTA - More than two-thirds of Cobb County residents polled say they'd vote for a bond to buy land for future parks, the Cobb Parks Coalition announced Sunday.

In a poll of 400 Cobb residents from all four districts, 71 percent said they would vote for the $40 million parkland initiative. After pollsters gave additional information - including that the land would be for parks and green space in perpetuity and no land would be taken from unwilling private owners - 82 percent of those polled said they would vote for a bond.

David Carter of the Raleigh, N.C.-based Trust for Public Land, spoke to more than 30 residents who attended a meeting of the Cobb Parks Coalition on Sunday about positive survey results in Cobb.

"I'm coming in with some great news," he said, adding that The Trust for Public Land has raised billions of dollars in 45 states for land preservation. "When you start getting into the 80s, you've got very good data," he said.

Carter urged the people at the meeting to make friends and neighbors aware of the initiative before July 11.

"All four districts polled the same," he said. "They resoundingly supported it."

Supporters of more parks and green space in Cobb County packed the Georgia Conservatory Dance Studio on Sunday evening to drum up volunteers and question county officials about saving Cobb's natural beauty.

"We're supporting a $40 million land initiative for use in future parks," said Cobb Parks Coalition organizer Paul Paulson. "We have to get commissioners to decide to put it on the ballot."

Paulson said county commissioners would vote on whether to put the $40 million land initiative on the ballot July 11 and it is imperative that everyone in the community is informed before the vote to let their commissioners know how they feel.

Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Olens said he noticed that green space preservation crosses party lines and meets approval with conservatives and liberals alike.

Olens said the $40 million bond he is seeking to buy parkland is better at this moment than a SPLOST or annual budget allocation of a few million.
"If you get $1 (million) or $2 million a year, there's not much you can do," he said. "SPLOST isn't the answer. If you have to wait five years to get the land, it won't be there."
Olens said the acquisition of a $40 million bond would not raise Cobb's millage rate, which is 9.72 mills.

"Hopefully the public will see this as a plus," he said of the green space initiative, adding he hopes the county would be able to buy land in and outside of city limits over the next two fiscal years.

Olens said a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Cobb County Commission Office in Marietta would allow residents to give their opinions on the bond.

"I'm excited about it," Olens said. "I think it's a great cause, and I am going to support it."
Commissioners Annette Kesting and Tim Lee also attended the meeting and said they support the initiative.

East Cobb resident Maria Wilson said people in her area favor parks and green space.
"There's obviously an enormous groundswell in east Cobb for this," she said.

Scott Richards of Acworth said the initiative has been a long time coming.
"I wish it would have been initiated several years ago," he said. "It enhances the community and value of our homes."

Newt Nickell, a west Cobb resident, said he is very involved in this grassroots movement.
"This is an extremely worthy cause that the public will strongly embrace," he said.

mfrench@mdjonline.com

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