Atlanta passes tax increase on homeowners

By Administrator • June 30th, 2009

The Atlanta city council just passed a whopping 42% property increase to make up for the budget shortfall. During a time of massive foreclosures and a difficult job market, the Atlanta city government should be looking for ways to decrease the high costs of living within the borders of Atlanta; not increasing the costs.

If we want to live in a city with a prosperous economic future, we must demand that local politicians stop viewing city jobs as a voting block. I will give the Mayor and the council credit, in a Machiavellian sort of way, for framing the argument as “either you’re for less taxes and less safety or more taxes and more safety”; as if police and fire personnel are the only employees of the city of Atlanta. The AJC headline, “Atlanta ends firefighter, police furloughs, but hikes taxes” shows the media bought the message.

I’d like for more of our local politicians to state, “Police and fire are one of the few functions a city is required to perform and I’m not going to touch them, but everything else is on the table. If we do raise your taxes, it won’t be without a lot of sacrifice and budget cuts in non-emergency departments.” I especially liked Councilman Shook’s statement, “My constituents don’t think that a property tax increase is a creative answer to somewhat tired old problems.”

The city needs to start following the Bain report and privatize some departments. The Bain report was developed with much fanfare during the beginning of Shirley Franklin’s first term, but other than some minor aspects, it was never actually implemented.

The Atlanta tax increase was a close, 8-7 vote. Compliments to the following council members for voting against the staggering tax hike: Kwanza Hall, Cleta Winslow, Howard Shook, Clair Muller, Jim Maddox, Mary Norwood and Lamar Willis. As for the Mayor and the slim majority of the council who voted for the incredible tax increase; don’t kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

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Comments(0) Atlanta Resources

Comments

By steve on December 1st, 2009 at 8:03 pm

They lost 2 more people because of how they handle the city. We are outa here as soon as we can (if we can) sell the house. I doubt the increase in taxes will help police and fire depts., or Safety at all.

 

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