Atlanta Forward readers commented on our recent columns about the fight over Fulton County control, from Republican State Rep. Jan Jones and the Democratic Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves. Here is a sampling of their remarks.
Concerned Citizen: Having lived in south Fulton County for over 50 years, I can tell you that the reason that the property tax rate hasn't increased since 1991 is that the rate was far to high to begin with. In addition, instead of increasing the property tax rate countywide, the county has year after year increased individual property assessments so that taxes continue to rise at an uncontrolled rate. We pay some of the highest property taxes in the state, and our county services are a joke. I praise the state Legislature for getting involved, because the Fulton County Commission has had more than enough time to curb spending on their own. As far as Grady Memorial Hospital is concerned, the vast majority of Fulton County residents do not use it anyway, and even if we did, we would have to pay for the services. It is time for the state or Obamacare to pick up the tab for Grady. Otherwise, either rein in wasteful county spending or close it.
Sawb: It would be nice to see reform championed by the Fulton County Commission instead of mandated by the state, but I fear that will never happen in the current format. Maybe a better idea would be to eliminate the two at-large commission positions and create two new districts, one in the northern and one in the southern portion of the county. Then maybe the voters would elect reform-minded candidates who could actually change the system from the inside.
Dave: I don't know Rep. Jones' views on local government, but most Republicans are for things like "home rule" and don't like it when the big boys and girls in Washington shove things down their throats. I guess there's an exception for when they are the big boys and girls shoving their views down the throats of Fulton County and its duly elected officials. Reading the article and watching Fulton County government over the years, I think the elected officials in Fulton have some work to do, but isn't it their work? If they keep getting re-elected despite their flaws, aren't they what their constituents want?
Rockerbabe: If the citizens of Fulton County do not like what the elected officials are doing, it is their responsibility to fix it, not the state's responsibility. I do not think Fulton County is any worse off than any other county that is not minority run. The state needs to keep its hands off the county government and its activities.
Don't Tread: I don't have a dog in this fight, but you couldn't pay me enough money to live in Fulton County (or DeKalb or Clayton). Talk about corruption and mismanagement. Ten years without sufficient cell door locks? And a $400,000 budget for each commissioner?
