Community Corner

'Local Control Isn't The Answer'

The head of AshfordNeighbors.org gives her viewpoint on the issue of Brookhaven cityhood.


People who are undecided about a city of Brookhaven from Buford Highway to Perimeter Mall, ask us why we don’t need to be a city. 

Here are some of our serious concerns:

Why the rush? Dunwoody had three studies over 10 years. If a city is a good idea, won’t it still be a good idea next year when we get a chance to get a second opinion?

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A city will cost you more. There is no tax savings. In fact, there is a tax increase for most residents. 

People who live in cities pay higher taxes on power and telephone bills than people in DeKalb County. The power and telephone companies collect franchise fees that are then paid to the city. The city government needs these optional fees to balance the budget from the beginning. 

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These franchise fees (an hidden tax) far outweigh the tax savings of $6/$100,000 home value.  A city will cost you money!

The proposed city begins operations in a precarious financial position. According to the latest study by the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute, the proposed city would have first year revenues of $25.2 million, expenditures of $25.1 million and a budget surplus of less than one-half of one percent - no margin for error in the budget and no reserves to help the city get started up. Since residents will already be paying more for the proposed city, either your taxes will go up or services will be cut.  

Fewer Police Officers and Less Police Protection. The proposed police force is estimated to be 53 officers. There should be at least 83 officers. DeKalb has 1.7 officers per 1,000 residents. For Brookhaven this would mean a police force of 83 officers.

Dunwoody’s Police Chief told his city council that similar-sized cities have 2.06 officers per 1,000 residents. For Brookhaven this means a police force of 100 officers. The proposed city budget calls for less than 1.1 officers per 1,000 residents.

DeKalb County Police lowered crime 30% in our precinct. Our poverty rate is 12.2% - three times that of Dunwoody’s 4.6%. City reserves will be drained to service the highly concentrated population around Buford Highway. 

The proposed city will create five new politicians - a mayor and four city council members - as well as lots of new bureaucrats to interfere in your life.  We all know that once created a bureaucracy never gets smaller and it never looks for ways to be less involved in your life.  Do we really need more politicians and bureaucrats?  More permits, fees, licenses and regulations?

Local control isn’t the answer. No government is everything to everybody.

Look at the new cities of Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and Johns Creek. They evolved into typical bureaucratic governments exercising their newly found power as they justify it. The reality is that the community loses local control very quickly. Governments love to govern and bureaucrats love the power.  This is like jumping from the pan into the fire!

Laurenthia Mesh
AshfordNeighbors.org


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