Homeowners in Atlanta are starting July with a 12.5 percent raise in their water and sewer rates.It comes on the heels of Monday’s Atlanta City Council 8-7 vote to raise property taxes.
The council voted in June 2008 to raise water rates in each of the next four years to keep afloat Clean Water Atlanta, the city’s $4 billion program to overhaul its aging sewer system and improve water quality.
Fresh Political Pickins From The Peach State
{ 12 comments }
The Mayor and the City Council members who voted for the tax increase have done a very good job of framing the issue as, “If you’re for the tax increase then you’re for safety and if you’re against the tax increase then you’re against safety.”; as if the only expenses in Atlanta’s budget are for police and fire protection.
Erick, you can pull that post about Atlanta growing now.
After all ATL is the 32nd largest city in US and will soon be right up there with Tucson.
High taxes and fees doesn’t necessarily translate into no growth. The City of Decatur has some of the highest taxes in the region. Yet young singles and families have been flocking to the city. It also has a public school system that works well.
You are right, there are many variables that contribute to to someone living in a city. But at some point, when the city charges disproportionate taxes, with sub-par services people will begin to ask, “Why am I living here?” So far the only thing I can think of is the commute is short, but eventually all those businesses that create the short commute will start saying, “I’m sick of paying for the Mayor’s political machine, I’m moving to the suburbs or to another state.”
Think about it, in Atlanta people are paying huge taxes and in return they get really bad high schools (so private schools have become a flourishing industry), shoddy trash pick-up, a bunch of pot hole promises, an underfunded police and fire department, large water bills, rampant crime and an administrative services bureaucracy that has surpassed India. I can’t think of a single thing that has improved under Shirley Franklin, when we get our water bills and property tax bills, the citizens of Atlanta will be yearning for the days of Bill Campbell.
Wait til the 15% VAT and everyone will be taxed out of America.
A VAT is coming.
Count on it.
The water and sewer systems are being greatly improved. Not very sexy, but essential. Every mayor that has gone before her ignored the combined sewer overflows. The resulting pollution led to consent orders, fines and polluted streams in Atlanta and downstream.
She had to fix the sewers; it was not optional. As the cost of water and sewer increased and during the drought, water consumption and revenues dropped. The declining water revenues are causing rate increases to pay for the bonds.
The quality of life improvement bonds have also brought about some needed upgrades to neighborhoods and improved pedestrian safety. She has made progress with the homeless problem. Public safety is still a problem. Schools are not her issue, but test scores in Atl public schools have improved.
As far as business goes, the mayor has pretty favorable relations with the business community and they appear to have faith in her honesty and reasoning. You may feel different, but they seem rather comfortable. One of the reasons is that she has started the process of changing the culture of City Hall. I don’t hear them saying, “I’m sick of playing for the Mayor’s machine.” I think that is your perception, not theirs.
There are many reasons why businesses choose to locate in downtown, midtown or Buckhead. The ability to draw from a regional labor pool, access an international airport, proximity to business services, major universities and cultural amenities are key. Those economic conditions are unlikely to change and writing off Atlanta’s economic growth seems a bit premature.
They threaten to take away firemen and police but they’d never threaten Hartsfield. Everyone would be for that.
Yeah, no they wouldn’t.
You would want to see Hartsfield privatized? That would be revenue for the city but the city won’t give up the power.
Amazingly, I can’t think of a single major airport in the world that is privately run. There is a reason for that and it has nothing at all to do with governments just trying to retain power.
Atlanta needs more Strip clubs and Malt Liquor stores. Bring back bath houses and then we can restart the Free love industry. That is the kind of development we had in Atlanta when I was young.
Comments on this entry are closed.