Cobb 2016 SPLOST meetings announced (Atlanta, Roswell: sales, maintenance, quality of life)

[netdragon]

SPLOST 2016: Dates Set for Public Info Meetings & Hearings - Government - Smyrna-Vinings, GA Patch

2016 SPLOST Home


(for more detailed, click this image then click under Layers: Boundaries > Commissioner Districts OR click the Comm District button on the upper right to search your district by street name)

District Three
7-9 p.m., Wednesday, July 9
East Cobb Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA 30066

District Four
7-9 p.m., Thursday, July 10
South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Dr SW, Mableton, GA 30126

District Two
7-9 p.m., Monday, July 14
East Cobb Library ,4880 Lower Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30068

District One
7-9 p.m., Wednesday, July 16
West Cobb Senior Center, 4915 Dallas Hwy, Powder Springs, GA 30127

Countywide
10 a.m. - noon, Thursday, July 17
County Commission Meeting Room (2nd floor), 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta, GA 30090
Drop in and learn about our projects during this open house.



Public Hearings

Cobb Board of Commissioners Meeting
9 a.m., Tuesday, July 8
100 Cherokee Street, 2nd floor, Marietta, GA 30090




Cobb Board of Commissioners Meeting
7 p.m., Tuesday, July 22
100 Cherokee Street, 2nd floor, Marietta, GA 30090

[jsvh]

Do they have a list of projects anywhere? Did the controversial BRT line end up on the list?

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Do they have a list of projects anywhere? Did the controversial BRT line end up on the list?

I haven't seen a list yet, other than a few things mentioned in the patch article like the Windy Hill Boulevard concept, some interchange rebuild in Acworth and some roundabout in West Cobb.

I don't think BRT made the cut, and it'd probably kill the SPLOST. The last one only passed by 47 votes, without a BRT. My suspicions are that they are going to wait until after the election then try to fund that from the general fund and take out more bonds.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Do they have a list of projects anywhere? Did the controversial BRT line end up on the list?

Correction: I think I found Smyrna's list here. Sorry that the image quality isn't better.



The Marietta Daily Journal - Smyrna seeks 51M for SPLOST wish list

Highlights:
* The Windy Hill Blvd
* Improvements of intersection at Cumberland Blvd and Spring Rd (near the Braves stadium)
* Multi-use trail on Windy Hill from Atlanta Rd to Village Pkwy
* Pedestrian improvements at railroad crossings
* Parks improvements

Haven't found a list for the rest of Cobb yet

[netdragon]

Here's the Acworth list http://www.cityofacworth.org/files/s...PLOST_List.pdf

Marietta http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws....016_SPLOST.pdf

Originally Posted by jsvh

Do they have a list of projects anywhere? Did the controversial BRT line end up on the list?

After reviewing this more, it's actually looking like it'll be a separate referendum from the SPLOST in the fall, labelled as $100 million for “Connect Cobb, Phase I High capacity multi-modal Transit along Cobb Parkway.” which will almost certainly lead to lawsuits because of the wording but that's GA politics for us.

This is because whereas Lee is still pushing for the BRT - $100 million match so we can get federal funding - other commissioners say they want it as a separate referendum and/or different funding mechanisms. Mayors are divided. Smyrna and Powder Springs mayors would prefer to see it as a separate referendum so it doesn't jeopardize the SPLOST. Austell and Marietta's mayor want it on the SPLOST. Acworth's mayor is undecided. http://cobbnewsnetwork.com/view/full...s_right_column

Marietta's Mayor Steve Tumlin :

think the BRT makes a lot of sense, and whether it’s gas prices — they’re always going to be fighting in the Middle East — I think cars are our biggest polluters. Quality of life, I think, is the way to go, and we can’t just keep laying asphalt down. We’re at a saturation point.

[netdragon]

I found the Powder Springs list:

http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws....ngs_splost.jpg

[jsvh]

Probably smart for them to split out the BRT given the politics in Cobb.

But I'd probably vote against both of them if I lived in Cobb. One of Cobb's main draws has always been lower taxes and they are losing that.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by jsvh

But I'd probably vote against both of them if I lived in Cobb. One of Cobb's main draws has always been lower taxes and they are losing that.

As a Cobb resident, the nice thing about the SPLOST is it results in people from outside Cobb and outside metro Atlanta paying some of the costs through sales tax - conventioneers, those shopping in Cobb from neighboring counties. I know it's evil, but it's the truth.

Conversely, without the SPLOST, our property taxes would probably go up. In fact, 30% of the last SPLOST were maintenance projects masquerading as capital improvements. E.g. let an intersection get so bad that you're forced to completely rebuild it, then it's a capital improvement. That shift costs away from the general fund and shortens the backlog. Since I was on the Cobb 2040 CTP, I got to see all the tricky numbers without blinders on.

I really hope the commissioners try to drive the point home, as a last resort if necessary, that no SPLOST means more property taxes. However, I think they are a bit embarrassed by it since otherwise the secret on one of the ways they keep taxes low amidst so much growth gets out. Money doesn't grow on trees, and Cobb has the same infrastructure costs of any other part of the metro that's growing quickly.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by netdragon

As a Cobb resident, the nice thing about the SPLOST is it results in people from outside Cobb and outside metro Atlanta paying some of the costs through sales tax - conventioneers, those shopping in Cobb from neighboring counties. I know it's evil, but it's the truth.

Agreed. Definitely better than a property tax to pay for it.

If only there was some extra spending they could eliminate to use on these things... Maybe about $400M that was being spent on something non-essential?

[lorilove]

I attended the last round of SPLOST Town Halls - I can definitely say I was impressed by our County representatives.

There were some whackadoodle residents that attended and comments at time were just silly. But the County and City employees were so patient and respectful - definitely not an easy job.