Money woes spur push for new DeKalb city
A likely tax hike for DeKalb County pulled more than 200 people to a Tuesday night meeting and appears to have boosted the nascent movement for a city of Brookhaven.
Many among the large crowd said they wanted to create a new north DeKalb city or become part of Dunwoody or Chamblee, citing perceived county mismanagement.
“We share the concern that the administration of DeKalb County is at best inept,” said Richard Chambers, a financial consultant who lives between Lenox Park and the Fulton County line. “We sure don’t want to be left out of any new city.”
Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Atlanta, introduced legislation this year that would allow the creation of the new city or enable parts of the area to be annexed into the existing cities to the north and east.
State law requires that bills to create cities be introduced in the first year of the Legislature's two-year term, which means the measure will be addressed next year.
Jacobs, who represents the area, has hired the Carl Vinson Institute at the University of Georgia to conduct a feasibility study, determining whether the area can financially support itself as a city.
Jacobs, who has applied for state money to pay for the study, argued that the county’s financial woes have made this debate timely.
“The citizens are right and justified to look at other options when you have a county government that has spent its way into oblivion to where its reserves are depleted,” Jacobs said.
Calculations released Tuesday showed property values in DeKalb plunged 13.4 percent from last year, and 18 percent in unincorporated areas such as Brookhaven.
County commissioners have suggested they intend to close an estimated $40 million shortfall from property tax collection with more budget cuts and a tax increase. Some commissioners said the increase could be about 4 mills, increasing the county rate to 20.68.
A proposed millage rate is expected June 7. But even with a likely tax hike, Chief Executive Burrell Ellis argues the county has already cut more than $100 million before it asked for more money.
Elsewhere, Gwinnett and Fulton increased taxes in recent years because of the same down economy that is now plaguing DeKalb.
“I think we are operating more efficiently and doing a good job of delivering services,” Ellis said.
Some Brookhaven residents agree with him. They say forming a new city won’t mean lower taxes for residents; they will pay a lower county rate but have to add in a city tax rate.
Skeptical residents worry they may end up paying higher taxes for the same services, which also would hurt county revenue by taking away such things as business license fees.
“Right now there is so little development that the county is suffering," said Liz Beyer, a graphic designer who lives in the Murphey Candler area.
The Vinson study will explore these issues, examining two areas: the proposed city, from the Fulton line to Chamblee between I-85 on the south and I-285 on the north, and neighborhoods in Murphey Candler, West Nancy Creek and Silver Lake, which could be annexed into the existing cities of Dunwoody and Chamblee.
