Stockbridge Does it Again

On Friday, March 1, 2013 the Stockbridge City Council held a Special Called Meeting at 5:30pm - No Public Comments were allowed.

The City Council passed Resolutions and an Ordinance by a vote of 3-1 that would:

1. Create a Downtown Development Authority where the Mayor and Council would appoint members with terms of six years, four years and two years.

2. Change the Charter - amending Veto Powers, determining when elected officials take office, and changing the person that calls the meeting to order after an election.

3. Increasing the Hotel/Motel Tax from 5% to 8%.

4. Forced Annexation of properties into the City.

All items were approved by the City Council by a 3-1 vote despite receiving the documentation just minutes prior to the meeting.

Please take a moment to visit the City's web site and view the documents attached for this meeting. [WWW.CITYOFSTOCKBRIDGE.COM]

It is revealed that the City of Stockbridge wants to annex Piedmont Henry Hospital into the city and also other areas that they call “islands” of land that are in the county. Mr. Milliron makes the arrogant message that they don’t need the citizens or the business owners approval to take such an action. Reminds one of the eminent domain problem the city was faced with a few years ago. They have hurriedly sent the proposal to the Georgia General Assembly to the Henry delegation to see if it can be rushed through this term. Mr. Milliron and the current council and mayor need to realize that it was the taxpayers of Henry County who paid for that hospital and taxes were taken out of our homeowners taxes up till Piedmont became involved. I would say that it gives the public and people who pay land taxes here in Henry County somewhat of a say being that they paid this for over thirty years. Mr. Milliron doesn’t live in Henry County, so he is lacking in that area. But the people are paying for him a vehicle and expense account to travel nearly 50 miles round trip a day to work. See something wrong here. A lot of citizens do.

City of Stockbridge Hires PR Firm

Seeks Advertising Dollars from Homeowners' Associations and Businesses  TOGETHER. SHAPING THE FUTURE OF STOCKBRIDGE.

Dear Stockbridge Business Owners,

The City of Stockbridge is pleased to announce the upcoming publication of the newly revised City Newsletter. The publication is scheduled to make its debut in March, and there are opportunities for you to promote your business in each edition as one of our advertisers. The multi-page professionally published newsletter will hit the homes of nearly 7,000 people right here in our own city. Contact Andy Aloisio (678.905.4842) for more information or click here for Newsletter Information . Best Regards, Elizabeth "BJ" Mathis Community and Economic Development City of Stockbridge 770.389.7900 Ext 248…

Source: Henry Citizen Newsletter #389, March 5, 2013, Larry Stanley

Comments:

Federal Squander-grants and loose State laws allowing cities and counties to establish Tax Authorizing Districts under Redevelopment Authorization laws have created rogue local city councils and county commissions. These have emboldened city councils and county commissions to engage in land grabs, imminent domain abuse, Bond Issues for fluff,  project overcharges and wasteful spending across Georgia. Voters who were tricked into voting to allow their cities and counties to have this power are shut out of the process. These moves are encouraged by Georgia’s misguided and federally required “regional” commissions.

Cities and counties have shut off and are ignoring voters who object to these abusive and risky economic development activities. Most Georgia cities and counties have weaseled their way to their self-proclaimed autonomy using illegitimate public input techniques to approve Master Plans.  Cities and counties have become staff driven, as staffs apply for grants for fluff projects and then give these projects to the city councils and county commissions to implement.  This is certainly the case in Dunwoody as it is in most of Georgia.   

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader