Wednesday, April 17, 2002
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Wednesday, April 17, 2002 |
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Mayor isn't telling the whole story about new tax district Mayor Brown responded to Rep. Kathy Cox's letter in less than 24 hours and in his usual fashion, again faxed a copy of his letter to the newspapers before giving it to Kathy. In his letter he wrote, "If you had taken our enabling legislation to the General Assembly, we would have then been able to work with all the landowners to create the optimal plan. The CID is nothing more than a hollow shell until the landowners vote to approve or disapprove the plan. Thus, your bringing the matter before the General Assembly would have had absolutely no affect on anyone because the approval is ultimately up to the landowners themselves." If in the mayor's words the CID is a "hollow shell" and would have no effect, why does he insist the General Assembly consider it this session with the possibility that the property owners may not approve it? Instead the mayor and city council should do their proper homework about the CID. They can take the time now to talk to all the property owners, educate them and the public about the CID, why it's needed on Ga. Highway 54 West and what it can do for each property owner and the city. With the support of the owners, the details can be worked out for an "optimal plan" that the owners can approve. Mayor Brown can accomplish all that without a CID. The General Assembly won't create a CID Authority with just "hollow shell" information to consider. A CID Authority can impose an additional tax of no more than 2.5 percent of assessed value. What Mayor Brown fails to comprehend is that the General Assembly sets the tax rate at the time they pass the CID legislation. The tax rate is not negotiated later as he would like to do. The levied tax also is "equitably apportioned among the properties" based on their "need for governmental services and facilities." I'm sure all the property owners would like to know what their apportionment would be so they could make an informed decision. Also, a portion of the collected tax is taken by the city for administrative costs and that amount is specified in the legislation the General Assembly passes. What amount were you considering, Mayor Brown, as a windfall for the city? Mayor Brown also wrote, "RAM Development is in favor of proposing a CID." RAM favors it because the mayor told them that the CID would not raise their taxes. Either the mayor doesn't understand a CID or he lied to RAM. Does RAM still favor a CID knowing their taxes would increase? If Mayor Brown were to talk honestly with the landowners and tell them the facts about the increase to their taxes, he may find they wouldn't approve it. John Dufresne Peachtree City
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