North Fulton cities confront legislators over battle with county

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

City leaders from north Fulton County held a strategy session with their legislative delegation Friday, serving up a plateful of grievances in their longtime feud with Fulton County government.

For years, the cities have complained that south Fulton draws virtually all the benefits from the county at the expense of residents in the north, including millions in general fund money spent for roads and museums in south Fulton.

"We're all sitting here suffering at the hands of what I consider to be a completely inept and corrupt government," Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker said. "Is it solvable? How do we get out from under this structure?"

Four sitting legislators and two recently elected representatives attended the luncheon held in Johns Creek.

The state lawmakers related their frustration at attempts to pass bills protecting northern residents from what they consider unfair county practices.

House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones said she doesn't think there is a majority within the 24-member Fulton County delegation to get any legislation through to help. Attempts to either separate the north into its own county or strengthen laws to hold the county accountable for its spending practices have met with no success, she said.

"We can nibble around the edges, but we can't reform it the way we want to reform it," Jones said.

Alpharetta Councilman D.C. Aiken pointed out that if the northern cities sue for relief, Fulton County will defend itself in court using tax money from the very residents who filed suit.

Jones said she plans to concentrate on a different approach, trying to educate the City of Atlanta that it could benefit from a weakened Fulton County. At the same time, she said she plans to work with area legislators to strengthen municipalities in their relationships with their counties.

"Maybe the interim is to, whatever way we can, initiate downsizing the influence and the magnitude of Fulton County's authority so that it continues to build a case for everyone -- including Atlanta -- that we don't need [Fulton County]," Jones said.

City officials also said they would fight a proposed penny sales tax for regional transportation, unless neighboring counties kick in extra money for a regional transit system.

For more than two decades, residents in Fulton and DeKalb counties have paid a 1-cent sales tax to build and maintain MARTA. The trains and buses of the Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Authority have benefited the entire region, Fulton and DeKalb mayors argue, even though no other counties have contributed.

If another transportation tax passes, they say, Fulton and DeKalb will be paying two cents for regional transportation, while Cobb and Gwinnett will be paying only a penny.

Jones said it may be difficult to get Cobb, Gwinnett and other metro counties to sign on to a regional transit plan.

If that's the case, said Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos, Fulton and DeKalb will continue to fight the new tax.

"We won't be letting up, I promise you," Galambos said.