Strapped for cash to maintain its streets, Johns Creek officials will decide this month whether to give residents the ability to raise taxes.
But for that to happen, the city would first have to ask the Legislature to change language in the charter that virtually prevents residents from raising the millage rate.
The document sets a cap of 4.731 mills on the property tax rate, less than a mill above where it now stands.
Change isn't likely.
City Council members were divided this week over whether to act now or wait until a special citizens' Charter Commission meets in December. Four of the six council members said they wanted to wait.
Mayor Mike Bodker pointed out that if the city waits, the citizens' panel probably would not come to a decision before well into the 2012 Legislative session. That means any proposed charter change wouldn't be considered until 2013, he said.
One option, Bodker said, would be to continue improvements at the current pace and leave property taxes alone.
"The reality of that is that we've lost ground already in the four years we've been a city," he said. "We were asked to put in $3 million in road resurfacing a year, and we've not put in more than $1.5 million in any given year. I guarantee that when they measure the conditions of the roads, we're going to find out we've lost ground."
"We're definitely in a Catch 22," Councilman Randall Johnson said. "Citizens continue to see deteriorating roads, demand for facilities -- especially in parks and recreation."
Councilwoman Karen Richardson agreed to a point.
"Of course we understand there needs to be some movement on infrastructure," she said. "The fact of the matter is that we're not getting that push from citizens -- at least not to the extent that they're willing to pay for it."
Through an informal show of hands, the council preferred waiting. Nevertheless, they agreed to put the matter to a formal vote at the Feb. 14 City Council meeting.
"We'll move as fast as you -- the citizens of Johns Creek -- want to move," Bodker said. "If we don't feel that groundswell is there to move faster than our current financing will allow, then, I guess, we don't need to do anything."
Resident David Kornbluh said he is concerned about bypassing the public and using the Legislature to change the charter.
"More than 10,000 people voted for the charter as it is, and now we're talking about changing it outside of that process," he said. "If it was a public process, I'd be much more comfortable with it. Ten thousand people is more than voted for any of the City Council members."
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