We are hearing more and more misinformation from the NO City people. Now we find the following distortions being presented as facts. We respond with the Real Facts.
Still Undecided? Nine Things to Consider
1) Your Taxes will definitely be higher. Based on the feasibility study, that we are now supposed to ignore, the average homeowner in Peachtree Corners will pay several hundred dollars in additional taxes and fees for goods and services we already pay for and receive from the county.
FACT: The purpose of the Feasibility Study was to determine if the city would be financially viable. It is not intended to be a budget. The Mayor and City Council will create a budget based on facts once we become a city. The Feasibility Study did show that worst case costs were less than $800,000. Also, potential sources of revenue were over $3,000,000. Franchise Fees, that we already pay, comprised $1,000,000. The revenue estimates were conservative. It is clear that it may be possible in the long run to finance the services we have chosen just through Franchise Fees. It is also clear that we will not need a full mill of tax to finance city activities.
See the addendum at the end for calculating your possible out of pocket costs.
2) Your Trash Hauler's rate from the city likely wont (sic) be any less than you are paying now, since the YES side anounced (sic) they have no idea if they can get it cheaper or not.
Still Undecided? Nine Things to Consider
1) Your Taxes will definitely be higher. Based on the feasibility study, that we are now supposed to ignore, the average homeowner in Peachtree Corners will pay several hundred dollars in additional taxes and fees for goods and services we already pay for and receive from the county.
FACT: The purpose of the Feasibility Study was to determine if the city would be financially viable. It is not intended to be a budget. The Mayor and City Council will create a budget based on facts once we become a city. The Feasibility Study did show that worst case costs were less than $800,000. Also, potential sources of revenue were over $3,000,000. Franchise Fees, that we already pay, comprised $1,000,000. The revenue estimates were conservative. It is clear that it may be possible in the long run to finance the services we have chosen just through Franchise Fees. It is also clear that we will not need a full mill of tax to finance city activities.
See the addendum at the end for calculating your possible out of pocket costs.
2) Your Trash Hauler's rate from the city likely wont (sic) be any less than you are paying now, since the YES side anounced (sic) they have no idea if they can get it cheaper or not.
FACT: We know that there will be at least some savings on trash based on the density of the Peachtree Corners population. It is less expensive to do trash pickup here as it requires less gas, trucks and personnel. The county averaged the high cost areas in with the low cost areas. So we are now subsidizing the less dense areas of the county. So while we won’t know the actual cost until our elected officials negotiate the contract, common sense dictates there will be savings.
3) No one can Annex your property unless you have 2 agreeing parties. This is Georgia Law. If Norcross wanted to annex Peachtree Corners, they would have done it back in the 80'-90's when this area's technology boom was happening.
FACT: Go to the GA Municipal Association Web Site and read the facts. Five ways to annex. Only one absolutely requires a vote, Resolution and Referendum Method. One may require a vote depending on the makeup of the types of property, Local Legislation Method. Two only require requests to be annexed. The 100 Percent Method is as implied, all must request to be annexed. But the 60 Percent Method allows you to be annexed if 60% or more of your neighbors choose to be annexed. You don’t have a choice under that circumstance. Last is the Annexation of Unincorporated Islands. No vote required.
4) Code enforcement will be outsourced to a company that compensates their employees on a commission basis. If modeled after the other surrounding cities, it will be a primary source of revenue for the new city, and a nightmare to all residents. Ask some friends in John's Creek and Berkeley Lake.
FACT: First, our elected officials will decide, with input from the community, how code enforcement will work. It is expected that it will be contracted out because we may need more enforcement to start than later on. Contracting this allows us to shrink this work force as the need decreases. We did some research on the reports from John’s Creek. There is no evidence of “nightmares” there.
We did have one gentleman speak at a meeting to the compliance issue. There is an apartment complex along Winters Chapel Road that is in Dunwoody. It was falling into disrepair and littered with trash. This gentleman complained about the fact the owner of these apartments now had to take out a loan to fix the problem. If that is the “nightmare” referred to, we can all probably agree that if the owner had properly maintained that property all along, no loans would be required now. In general, if a property owner demonstrates good faith and addresses the issue in a timely fashion, many fines are waived. You have the additional protection of easy access to your representatives if you feel that you were cited improperly.
5) Property values will still be based on economic conditions. Until the economy improves we will not see a change.
5) Property values will still be based on economic conditions. Until the economy improves we will not see a change.
FACT: We will probably not see an immediate uptick in property values. However, long term, our values will be enhanced.
6) No one on the Peachtree Corners Ballot Committee stands to gain anything financial, The other side cannot say that. The proposed salaries have already gone up and we haven't even gone to the polls yet. What will happen if they are elected?
FACT: No one on the Peachtree Corners Yes side stands to gain financially either. What the logic is for this statement is unclear. As stated earlier, the feasibility Study was not a budget. The amount for these salaries was based on an extrapolation from other cities in the areas. The decision was made when the charter was finalized to allow the Mayor $9,000 and the City Council members $8,000 per year, before tax. Any council member who tries to raise their salary would likely be voted out of office at the next election. Given the amount of time these folks will be spending serving the city, this will probably work out to be below the minimum wage rate. How anyone can believe this amounts to “financial gain”, well ….
7) The Charter allows the new city to impose additional taxes, assesments (sic), and other fees, without going to a vote to the taxpayers. It's all in the Charter and feasibility study (that they want you to ignore).
FACT: The Feasibility Study specifically states the Business License and other fees will still be collected by the county. The city will not receive these. As stated earlier, the city is expected to be able to fund most, if not all operations from Franchise fees. There would be no reason to have to resort to any other fees or taxes. Just because a power is listed in the Charter does not mean that the city is allowed to exercise it if it is not required in the context of the services we will provide.
8) Our community leaders (sic) definition of "self determination" (sic) is for their own self, not yours. As Thomas Jefferson warned, "It is the nature of government to grow." Before the election, they talk of "self determination"(sic) after the election it will be "selfish determination".
FACT: Our government can only grow as a result of a referendum by the citizens of Peachtree Corners. We want the right to determine the quality of life we want in our own community. If that is “Selfish determination”, then so be it.
9) Voting "NO" is not only an option, it's a right. It's your choice, it's your right. Exercise your right.
FACT: Of course you can vote NO. This argument is just silly. If you truly believe that Peachtree Corners 10 years from now will be exactly like Peachtree Corners is today, then do vote No. It is your right. But if you believe we can be better than we are today and want to see improvement over time, than you should vote YES!
Nine Things to Consider: Posted By: Louie
Rebuttal: Posted by Jeanne
Addendum: What will my new taxes be?
At one mill, if you have a house assessed at $300,000, you will pay $120. If you have 2 cars with a combined assessed value of $60,000, your additional ad valorum tax would be $60 at 1 mill. The only possible increase in Franchise Fees would be on your electric bill of just under 2%. That will only occur if the city decides to enter into an agreement with GA Power (see the GA Power Bill Estimator). If your annual electric bill is $2,000, then the
possible increase would be $40. So the total possible increase for this homeowner could be $220 of which $180 is in taxes, not several hundred dollars.
Let’s look at this same homeowner if the rate is set at ½ mill. Property taxes will be $60 per year, ad valorum would be $30. If the Franchise Fee agreement is set with GA Power, then the max additional out of pocket would be $130.
To calculate your own increase, here is how to do it. Look at you tax bill. You can use your appraised value times $40 divided by $100,000 to get you property tax. Or take your assessed value times .001. For your ad valorum, look at your tag bills. Total the assessed amount and multiply by.001. Then get your total annual electric bill. Multiply that total by .02. That is your absolute maximum out of pocket.
If you look at ½ mill, use $20 per $100,000 and .0005 times your vehicle assessed value. That will likely be closer to what you can expect to see.
It is possible that some of this will be offset by some saving in trash pickup. Folks who currently pay the $10 per month for yard waste pickup should see a savings of $120 as every estimate we have gotten includes yard waste pickup at no additional cost.
It is possible that some of this will be offset by some saving in trash pickup. Folks who currently pay the $10 per month for yard waste pickup should see a savings of $120 as every estimate we have gotten includes yard waste pickup at no additional cost.
