Each week CityLife Opinions asks readers to comment on a topic in the news. This week we feature responses to the question: Should Dunwoody incorporate?

Background: The state legislature is again discussing whether residents should get the opportunity to vote on whether Dunwoody should become a city.

End zoning mistakes

I've been a Dunwoody resident since 1986 and have seen the adverse effect of decisions on zoning being made by people who do not live in the area, and have no interest in the well-being of those who did live there.

WE THE PEOPLE of Dunwoody should have the power to shape and protect our environment and future living conditions.

LET US VOTE ON CITYHOOD!

FRED BRANDT, Dunwoody

Government belongs in hands of those it affects

The citizens of the area that would become the city of Dunwoody should be given the opportunity to at least vote on its creation. Local zoning and public safety should be in the hands of those to whom it mostly affects.

Government closer to the people is a necessity. Please let us vote, one way or the other.

EDWARD J. TRAINOR, Dunwoody

Residents deserve chance

There are hundreds of cities throughout Georgia, large and small. Each one started the same way: A group of residents decided, "We can do better." Starting a city is a serious commitment and shouldn't be done lightly, but any group of citizens that want to vote on whether or not to become a city should have the chance to make that decision. Dunwoody should have the right to vote on incorporation.

ROBERT WITTENSTEIN, Atlanta

People in Dunwoody informed, ready to vote

We moved to Georgia more than 16 years ago. We chose to settle in Dunwoody, a community that had existed for decades. After living in Dunwoody for several years, we learned that Dunwoody was a community in every way except as a legal entity. Our neighboring community of Sandy Springs had spent more than 20 years petitioning their local Fulton County state delegation to allow a vote on incorporation. For 20 years, voters in Sandy Springs were repeatedly denied the opportunity to vote because the officials of Fulton County objected to losing any portion of the revenue from Sandy Springs.

When control of the state Legislature changed, the community also changed its tactics and requested authorization for a community vote on incorporation by using a statewide rather than local bill. The resulting vote by the citizens of Sandy Springs caused the quick incorporation of Sandy Springs and has resulted in a well-run city. It is my observation that the voters in Sandy Springs had less information available to them than the people of Dunwoody, and yet were able to make what most would agree was an informed decision. I remain baffled as to why some state legislators feel additional time and/or study is required.

The people of Dunwoody are quite capable of making an informed decision on whether the money to be spent on incorporating would be money well spent.

RICHARD and MAUREEN OTNESS, Dunwoody

Local government is better government

I believe it is the right time for Dunwoody to become a city. I like the idea of having my neighbors make local decisions for me rather than someone who has no knowledge about what our needs really are. I believe we would get a quicker response time.

M. J. CHAMBLESS, Dunwoody

Community better able to protect own quality of life

To those who say the city of Dunwoody could cost more than remaining part of unincorporated DeKalb: You fail to recognize that while the overall DeKalb property taxes increased 3 percent annually since 2000 under Vernon Jones' administration, the average property tax increase for Dunwoody homeowners has been approximately 25 percent per year. During that time, our DeKalb County leadership has flooded our roads and schools with 4,000 apartment residents (Dunwoody has a population of about 39,000) and consistently ignored the infrastructure requirements of such growth.

While our DeKalb County leadership states that most of the property taxes are related to schools and therefore not the fault of Vernon Jones' administration, Jones' administration has siphoned school funds for TADs to subsidize real estate development instead of allowing those funds to rightfully go to schools. And this is Jones' policy in DeKalb County —- where the schools are some of the worst in Georgia.

It is time that local community citizens of Dunwoody be allowed to control zoning and code enforcement so the principles of "smart growth" can be applied locally. DeKalb County has failed Dunwoody in this regard, instead looking for the "quick buck" of rapid development without regard to local impact to roads, schools and overall quality of life. Local communities, with the powers of a city, can protect quality of life because that is their primary interest —- as opposed to the government of a large county where other interests become more important to officials.

MIKE CADGER, Dunwoody