For the last five years, advocates have tried to get legislation passed to create the proposed City of Greenhaven. It has failed each time in the General Assembly. These same proponents are now seeking a fifth bite of the apple by introducing the same legislation in 2019. We must stop this effort and finally put it to rest. Enough is Enough.
- DeKalb County has almost 200 years’ experience operating as a county entity. It is stable with over $103 million in reserves. Yet, cityhood proponents continue to give us “pie in the sky dreams” under the name of Image Greenhaven. Their promises are not realistic and should evaluated closely for the truth.
- Creation of this city will cost DeKalb County Government $22 million in lost annual revenues.
- DeKalb County has its challenges; the proposed City of Greenhaven inherits the same challenges, with the same demographics, economic, social, and poverty issues. Let’s work to enhance our county government.
- Citizens of DeKalb County voted for millions of dollars in bonds already invested in Parks and Recreation, libraries, and roads. This proposed city would purchase our parks and recreational facilities for pennies on the dollar, and benefit (without paying) for road improvements.
- The same applies to police precincts and fire stations. In essence, you would pay twice for the same services.
- Cityhood legislation does not specify an initial millage rate. You will not know your starting tax rate until a city is formed. After, the initial millage rate is set, the city council can the millage rate can increase an additional 1.5 mills.
Economic Development Plan
Decide DeKalb is the economic development authority for DeKalb County Government with an Economic Development Plan through 2035.
- Cityhood advocates have never shown specifics of an economic development plan
- Plan available to the public indicates the lack of understanding as to what constitutes a well thought out plan
- Decide DeKalb is the economic development authority for DeKalb County Government
- Proponents’ plan is a mystery and their economic development plan is vague and basically unknown as to how the city would grow to an economic power house.
- The proposed City of Greenhaven must negotiate service fees paid to DeKalb County through contracts (Intergovernmental Agreements – IGA) and/or private sector contractors. These costs increase the operational expenses for the proposed new city, but are not included in the financial study.
-
Private contractors would be the primary beneficiaries of the city’s economic development.
-
The Stonecrest private contractor received $16.5 million to operate the city. A proposed Greenhaven, that would be six times larger, could be projected to spend close to $100 million to outsource services.
- Click the link below to review DeKalb County’s economic development plan and compare it to what you have seen of the proposed Greenhaven plan (it does not exist).
Why Buy Services You Already Receive
Service Delivery Agreements
- City would rely heavily on DeKalb County Government or other contract vendors to deliver core municipal city services.
- No projected estimate of these potential costs, or the effect on the bottom line of operational costs are included in the Feasibility Study.
- The proposed City of Greenhaven must negotiate service fees paid to DeKalb County through contracts (Intergovernmental Agreements – IGA) and/or private sector contractors. These costs increase the operational expenses for the proposed new city.
- Cityhood legislation does not specify an initial millage rate. You will not know your starting tax rate until the formation of the city. After, the initial millage rate is set, the city council can increase the rate by an additional 1.5 mills.
- The City of Stonecrest paid CH2MHILL 16.5 million dollars to run the city. The same will happen with Greenhaven, only the costs could be six times higher due its size and population.
Franchise Fees
- DeKalb County Government does not collect franchise fees available to cities
- Negotiated fees can be passed on to consumers, as recently experienced in the new City of Stonecrest
- Illustration below explains franchise fees
Let’s Talk $$ AND Common Sense
- DeKalb County Government will lose over $22 million in annual revenues, if this city is created
- Impact to stakeholders remaining in unincorporated DeKalb County are unknown
- DeKalb County Government’s 2018 Budget—$ 1.1 Billion
- Proposed Greenhaven Budget—$45 million for population of 300,000
- Atlanta’s 2018 operations and enterprise budgets $2.1 Billion
- City taxes will be added to your tax bill in addition to DeKalb County School taxes, federal, and local taxes
-
Feasibility Study, that states the city would be financially viable, is five years old with stale data
-
Economic landscape has changed since study completed in 2014.
Cityhood Will Not Change…
-
Demographics of proposed city are the same as Unincorporated DeKalb County Government
-
Low performing schools in the city’s boundaries
- Reliance on residential property taxes as primary revenue source
- No strong commercial base to offset residential taxes
- Poverty indicators
- Existing challenges (e.g. crime) facing the County would be inherited by the new city
You will continue to pay DeKalb County for services, except for the three (3) services offered by the city, for two years following its incorporation.