Can Clayton lure new businesses?
A few new businesses are trickling into Clayton County. At a time when much of the attention is focusing on problems in the school system, it’s refreshing to learn new jobs are being created. Read my latest blog entry on Wordpress
Home > Clayton.Talk > Archives > 2009 > February
February 2009
Is CCPS on the right track?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Solicitor General Tasha Mosley recently filed a motion to have District 4 school board member Michael King removed as attorney on a pending lawsuit involving Clayton County Public Schools. This is the second time that he has been accused of representing a client who poses a conflict of interest during his short tenure.
According to the Clayton News-Daily via CCPS spokesman Charles White, the Board of Education’s Ethics Commission officially removed King from his seat for violating the code of ethics. Unless he files a notice of appeal, King shouldn’t even be allowed to participate in tonight’s 6:30pm school board meeting.
Despite that, Board of Education Chairwoman Alieka Anderson says our BOE is working cooperatively together as a unit, and getting things accomplished. “We need the support of the community. We are asking everyone to pray for us, support us and don’t badger us until you walk in our shoes,” asks Anderson. “I’ve never seen a board work this hard and do such great things in such a short period of time. I see this board in the future being a board of distinction.”
King must respond to Mosley’s motion in court today. According to Anderson, King technically has until February 26 to appeal. If he does so, his colleagues will have 30 days to vote on whether to accept or modify the ethics commission’s decision.
Your thoughts?
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Reinvesting in Clayton
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s hard to foresee a thriving fiscal future in an economy where so many jobs are lost on a daily basis.
Our proximity to the airport and Atlanta are good reasons that Clayton’s future looks promising.
According to an AJC article, our BOC would like to create a separate city using Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport as its focal point.
This city would include hotels, restaurants, shops, high-rise condominiums, office space and recreational activities. If Riverdale and Forest Park/Fort Gillem continue moving forward with their revitalization plans as well, this could be a rebirth for north Clayton.
If this plan works the way some commissioners envision, businesses will pay the brunt of taxes instead of property owners and create jobs in the process. Perhaps this redevelopment will become contagious and spread countywide.
In addition, although some residents are less than enthusiastic about the still in limbo Atlanta to Macon commuter rail, public transportation is a major fac tor in this strategy. While I don’t buy into the theory that public transportation brings crime this is one aspect I’m not thrilled about, whereas many residents are eager get on board ASAP.
What do you think about the possibility of Clayton becoming an “aerotropolis”?
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Plan to dispute your property taxes?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Although some Clayton residents believe their property is not worth what the tax assessor’s office claims, three zip codes in particular have overpaid property taxes in excess of $13 million dollars.
According to an Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership report, residents located in zip code 30238 have=2 0overpaid an average of $513.00 per household; 30274 overpaid $696.00; and 30296 overpaid $479.00. These estimates are based on sales via Realtors, banks and/or servicers who legally filed foreclosure proceedings during the first six months of 2008.
Given the current real estate market, even if you appealed and won in the past, the ANDP suggests giving your property a self assessment using a Residential Property Tax Return, and undergo the appeals process. This form must be filed between January 1 and April 1.
While most agree Clayton needs more police on the streets, costs for government services are not valid reasons to raise property taxes. “[The Tax Assessor’s] job is to assess the fair market value of the home, not determine the tax impact,” says John O’Callaghan, CEO of the ANDP, a nonprofit affordable-housing group. However, they can look at societal factors such as fundin g CCPS, so accreditation can impact assessments.
The good news is our tax assessor’s office is working with the ANDP to get properties assessed correctly, so perhaps we’ll see fewer foreclosures here and homeowners will pay taxes based on what properties are actually worth.
“I am very impressed by Chief Appraiser Rodney McDaniel, he has been responsive, understands the problem and has agreed to meet with us individually to go over our data for Clayton,” adds O’Callaghan. “I know that Clayton and all counties are facing intense change to get tax valuations right this year. Dealing with declining values requires new ways of doing business.”
Have you received your tax bill yet? Will you dispute it?
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The cost of a free lunch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some of Clayton’s students may soon learn the life lesson that you can’t get something for nothing.
According to the AJC, 77.5% of Clayton County Public School students receive free or reduced lunch, the highest percentage in metro Atlanta.
I mentor public school students weekly during their lunch hour. The meal is usually sparse and a few complain of hunger afterwards. So imagine if that is the only and/or best meal some get daily? It would be a shame to lose that. While there probably are parents who take advantage of the fact that nobody wants to see a kid go hungry and will send a child out with no money, there are possibly just as many parents who simply don’t have the money to send.
According to Dr. Henry Anderson, a family medicine physician, “Numerous and voluminous studies have stated and confirmed what we all know to be true is that school age children, pre-teens, and teenagers need to eat well-balanced, nutritious meals during breakfast and lunch as well as a mid-morning and mid afternoon snack to ensure that their brains and bodies are well fueled, primed, and energized for maximum, highest, and optimal educational learning to occur throughout the school day.” But the end result is someone has to pay for this. Should our Board of Education vote to bill parents for school lunches? Or as a taxpayer are you willing to help foot this particular bill?
On another note, while plenty of negatives wer e reported about Jonesboro High School recently, the fact that their Mock Trial Team is well on the way to securing a third consecutive National championship didn’t make headlines.
The team’s regional competition is open to the public and will be held at the Clayton County Courthouse on Friday February 6 at 6:30pm and Saturday February 7 at 8:30am, with the championship round around noon. If JHS wins, the State Finals take place in Gwinnett County on March 14-15. Let’s all wish them more success!
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