Letter worries parks group

From the Marietta Daily Journal on Monday, September 22, 2008 by Marcus E. Howard, MDJ staff writer

MARIETTA — Members of the grassroots Cobb Parks Coalition, which is pushing for passage of a second $40 million parks bond referendum on the ballot in November, met on Sunday and expressed concerns that potential opposition by three Cobb mayors may derail their efforts.

Paul Paulson, leader of the coalition, said he doesn’t believe most residents in Cobb are as concerned about a tax increase that Marietta, Smyrna and Austell residents would have if voters approve the parks bond.

“I don’t think this is an issue of the people,” Paulson said. “I think this is a political issue among the mayors and (Cobb Commission Chairman) Sam Olens.”

From his experience at the North Georgia State Fair, where the coalition has a booth promoting the parks bond, Paulson said residents of the three cities whom he has talked to about the tax increase, tell him that they’re not worried about it.

“They say, ‘How much?’” recalled Paulson. “And I say, ‘$4 a year for a $100,000 house, and they say, ‘Are you kidding, that’s nothing, I don’t care.’”

About 50 coalition members met last night at the Georgia Dance Conservatory on the Marietta Square to discuss ways to get residents to vote for the parks bond. But, the topic that seemed to have aroused the most interest was the three cities controversy.

Marietta Mayor Bill Dunaway, Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon and Austell Mayor Joe Jerkins sent a letter to Olens on Sept. 3, which expressed their concerns that their residents would “unfairly” get a tax increase if the parks bond is approved.

The Cobb Commission unanimously approved the measure in July and those in favor of it, including Olens, have said that the tax increase was an unintended consequence of rushing to place it before voters on Election Day.

To finance the 15-year, $40 million bond, the county plans to divert revenue raised by .1 mills of county property taxes from the county’s fire fund to the debt fund. For taxpayers in unincorporated Cobb and the cities of Acworth, Kennesaw and Powder Springs, the net effect on property taxes is zero because the increase to the debt fund is offset by the decrease in the fire fund.

But for residents in Austell, Marietta and Smyrna — who do not pay any taxes toward the fire fund because all three cities have their own fire department — the .1 mills increase in the debt fund is not offset by anything, leading to a slight property tax increase.

For a person with a $200,000 home in those three cities, it equates to about $8 more per year in property taxes.

“As a taxpayer, I can’t imagine that $8 a year — if I don’t get a park in my city — is going to make me change my vote,” said coalition member Denis Krusac of Acworth. “I mean, as a taxpayer, I would want you to be the most cost effective with the dollars.”

Roger Buerki of east Cobb sat on the citizen’s advisory committee for the first $40 parks bond that was passed by voters in 2006. The Commission-appointed members of the committee look at nominated parkland, and then make a recommendation to the county about which land it should purchase.

“When we set up the first citizen’s advisory committee, one of the thoughts behind it was that politics and real estate sometimes get mixed up,” Buerki said. “The idea of having this citizen’s committee back there is kind of a presence and it keeps things on the up and up and keeps them balanced.”

Members at the meeting agreed that they cannot simply ignore the potential damage the tax increase matter could create. In effect, they decided that getting residents of the three cities to contact their city council members and advocate for the parks bond would offer the best solution.
“If you know anyone in the cities, suggest that to these people,” Paulson advised members. “When they think of the rewards, the penalty to me is so minuscule that it’s almost laughable.”
The county has purchased more than 309 acres using $37.67 million of the first parks bond and still has more than $2 million left that they could use to purchase land.

mhoward@mdjonline.com