AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 02 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USShould some businesses be forced out of town?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last week pawnshops around our fair little village became the latest business to feel the weight of our new government.
The city has imposed new fees on these businesses and that has caused predictable whining. I don’t really have an opinion because I haven’t been in a pawnshop since a guy (in another county) tried to sell me a fake Rolex for $2,000.
It is interesting to note, however, that the businesses making headlines in the last several months include pawnshops, nightclubs frequented by the young and adult-oriented businesses (porn merchants and nude dance clubs).
I’m not alleging the city is trying to run any of these out of town, but it’s of note that all three are hardly mainstream businesses. By mainstream I mean none of the three probably show up on most people’s weekly itinerary.
In an average week, most people probably hit the grocery, the pharmacy, the dry-cleaners, fast-food restaurants and a discount store. Our little home may not be typical, but I promise the following has never been said in the Osterman domicile:
“Wow! Look at the price of fresh shrimp. Honey, would you swing by the pawnshop and hock my wedding ring?”
“I couldn’t sleep last night so I tried going to a packed bar with music blasting in my ears and got [drunk] at 2 a.m. I thought it might relax me.”
“Well, we celebrated our anniversary at that club where women take off all their clothes and gyrate for dollar bills. Then we walked down the street and bought some porn and faux-fur handcuffs.”
Some owners of these businesses contend the city is trying to ease them out of town by imposing new rules and fees. I can’t speak for the mayor and City Council, but I would hope they aren’t burning a lot of time trying to create a commercial utopia.
The bigger question is how do those of us living here feel about these places? I wish the naked-lady dance club and porn palaces were gone. I have nothing against the nightclubs, nor do I care if there are a few pawnshops across the landscape.
Are we a less desirable place to live with such businesses in town? Do we want any legal businesses forced out of town and why? Do we want any elected body defining what is acceptable?
We’d best think before we answer.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By ATLGUY
October 4, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this
I said it before and I will say it again….I JUST DON’T GET THE APPEAL or ARROGANCE of Sandy Springs??!! I find my self drawn to read this blog like one might be drawn to a look at a car wreck. I can not even imagine what appeal there is to living in a pseudo bourgeoisie community with a bunch of wannabes snubbing and criticizing just to make themselves feel superior. I have been to Sandy Springs and at one time even lived there and all I saw was traffic congestion and neighbors who gossiped more about one another than they cared about one another. When I bought the home I wanted to raise my children in I chose Inman Park. Great schools, great neighbors, great community support for the residents and the less fortunate. Yes I realize that I pay taxes to the city of Atlanta and that a lot of my money goes into areas that are “less desirable” but if that is the cost of living in a great neighborhood that is safe, supportive, involved and kind then so be it. My time in Sandy Springs was riddled with neighbors divorcing or having affairs and everyone else talking about it…kids on prozac who rarely played outside and absentee parents that were so busy judging and working while their troubled teens were spraying the same graffiti that they were blaming on the Hispanics…jeez guys someone please explain the attitude.
By L L
October 4, 2006 04:44 PM | Link to this
Come on Sandy Springs, get on with more pressing issues of your city. It sure sounds like you want the perfect city that will never be. If you don’t like a business, movie, resturant, neighbor or anything else that you feel is offensive then don’t go there. They problably don’t want you either, but don’t push your holyier than thou issues on others. Just remember your terms are short…
By nrgpill
October 4, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this
There is really no arrogance here unless you still hold onto the idea that SS should never have incorporated in the first place, which would then give people the reason to talk with such homerism.
Lets move on with the notion that all cities have issues. I happen to like Inman Park and I am happy for you that you have found your “utopia”.
By Scotty
October 8, 2006 11:31 AM | Link to this
The city of Sandy Springs is rapidly becoming known around Atlanta as one of the most Racist, Closed Minded, Money Hungry, and democratically elected dictatorship in Metro Atlanta. The city of Sandy Springs is a beautiful place, but the leadership of the community is not, I will take you from the mayor down and show you Sandy Springs through my eyes. Eva Galambos (mayor) Mrs.Galambos is a senior citizen that represents a large portion of the city of Sandy Springs. Mrs. Galambos has been in sandy springs for over fifty years and she can remember when their was not any blacks and Mexicans in their perfect rich white community, along with her base of voters. Mrs. Galambos was hand picked by her old rich white Conservative base to represent them in bringing the pride back to sandy springs. I guess bringing the pride back means bringing in a vicious police force that harasses blacks and Latinos, and patrols the streets like we are in a war zone. I was pulled over by the sandy springs police and I was told I was pulled over because I spoke to a suspected drug dealer outside a convenient store on Dunwoody place, this man was homeless and I gave him a card with friends contact information , so he could try to find work. The police had me lay over my trunk with drawn weapons and told me that “you and your black buddies can hang out in Alpharetta and Roswell but you won’t be hanging out in Sandy Springs”. I was then aware of what sandy springs wanted to become,(A safe haven for established whites devoid of any other group of people). Mrs. Galambos and her base represent every thing that is wrong with Metro Atlanta, The older citizens with money and influence fight change at every chance they get. A prime example of this is construction of more roads, highways or trains to come through north Fulton to ease the traffic burden of GA400 and Roswell rd but the people who sit on their old conservative ways will not allow these things to happen because they say it will bring an element of crime to the community. What is wrong with Adult Entertainment? Sandy Springs majority of its population that live in apartments, condos or town homes (young adults), not old white conservatives who do not see any harm with exotic dance clubs or novelty shops, that’s the beautiful thing about living in America you have freedom no one person or a city counsel can make decisions on how some people live their lives and what they do in their spare time. Go to the oasis Adult club off of Peachtree industrial and you will see most of the people who oppose Adult entertainment in Sandy springs. While the Sandy Springs Police is Pulling over every Black and Latino on the road, and the old guard is whining about Nightclubs, Adult Entertainment, And Pawnshops, Sandy Springs is one of the largest hubs for illegal prostitution in Georgia, Inside almost every strip mall and shopping center in the area has a Storefront whore house that doubles as a message parlor. A large number of Women and girls that come illegally from Brazil are sold into prostitution all along Roswell road. Why is this not mentioned in the plans for the new White Utopia? The base of Mrs.Galambos that opposes everything in Sandy Springs visits these places in the middle of the day invisible to you and me (hypocrites). Why is their not one Black, Latino, or Asian on the city counsel? Why is The Median for homes in Sandy Springs 900,000.00 ? Why are their only a hand full of minority police on sandy springs police force. I would like you to focus your attention on the city counsel, all white middle aged or older people who each have expertise in areas that answer the questions above. Dave Greenspan (CFO) of a company, Tibby Dejulio- chair of the city transition Financial Task Force and also an investment banker, Dianne Fries- An Expert in the field of Appraisals, Rusty Paul- An expert on Urban Development, Karen Mcenrny- An asset manager for commercial real estate portfolios, and last but not least Ashley Jenkins- A real estate Attorney. This counsel was hand picked also by the old white conservative guard of Sandy Springs. These people have an enormous amount of influence over a variety of things, Like Why is the cost of living so much in this old community, like why these homes that were built for 85,000 in 1985 are being appraise today at 300,000 to 450,000, like why you pay a fine for loud music that is 500.00 or get a ticket for not having your license on your person and pay a 300.00 ticket. This city is starting off in a very bad direction because if we do not come together as a whole and stop letting the old white conservative Guard Dictate everything that happens this city will loose more than it will ever change. Can we pleases kill the racism and social divide created by the old white conservative Guard, and come together with one goal in mind, making our community a safe place full of diversity and culture that is a model community for the south instead of a typical one.
By nrgpill
October 8, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this
I look at the voting history of the Fulton County Commission and see an obvious divide down the party line. The divide starts from the top-down. So, it isn’t surprising that a minicipality was formed to counter-balance what is an obvious divide from the county level. What the new city is doing is mostly agreeable to the legally documented tax-paying residents of Sandy Springs. I do not see a problem with that.