Last week: Are Cobb code enforcement rules too restrictive?
In March, Cobb County commissioners are scheduled to review whether to allow more cars to be parked in residential driveways - one of many code enforcement rules with which residents of Cobb and its six cities deal on a daily basis with hefty fines. Most of the 100 comments we received said the county and cities need to relax their rules, especially for Kennesaw State University students who are kept from seeking cheaper housing due to Cobb’s rule against more than two unrelated people living in the same house.
Here is what some readers said about the issue:
I have three college-age children and we have five vehicles. It gets very difficult to park them and play musical cars. — Neil Axelrod
Cobb County and city governments have no business "regulating" how many cars or trees a property owner may have. This only leads to the need for more enforcement and a larger government work force (which is already unnecessarily too large). — Arthur O. Johnson
Sounds like a lot of people need to move to a rural county. Thank you, Cobb County. — Patsi Hudson Carpenter
Everything in Cobb County is too restrictive. — Chris Stevens
Some of us are happy to not live around used car lots. — Trace Eggars
Why not focus on keeping the little thugs from breaking into the six cars in my yard? — David Powell Sr.
In their driveway, fine but not all over their yards and blocking the streets. — Dale Meeks
If it's my property, you aren't going to tell me what I can and can't have on it. — Michael Fisher
— Carolyn Cunningham for the AJC
Many critics have said throwing tax dollars at an issue doesn’t fix it. But others have advocated that funds spent wisely can help alleviate a bad situation. Although Atlanta Public Schools don’t have a lot of buildings in disrepair or other maintenance problems, district officials say a spruce-up is overdue.
So the Atlanta Public School System is contemplating asking voters to approve a sales tax worth about $546 million. That would be the APS share of a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that would be levied in Fulton and DeKalb counties.
The school district has about $764 million in projects it needs funded, according to AJC reports.
The money will go toward demolishing some schools; renovating others; infrastructure improvements such as HVAC, heating and plumbing; upgrades to sports stadiums; technology; debt payments and new vehicles.
Although most APS schools are in decent shape, a review commissioned last year showed that about 30 could use some work.
The question could be on the ballot as early as May.
What do you think? Is it time to fix up Atlanta Public Schools with a SPLOST? Or should the system make do for a while longer?
Send responses to communitynews@ajc.com. Some may be published in various formats. Responses may be edited for length and/or clarity.
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