The East Cobb cityhood effort is gaining more visible opponents with a new citizens group called the East Cobb Alliance, which launched a website and a public Facebook group last week.
According to the group’s About page, the East Cobb Alliance is:
“A non-partisan coalition of East Cobb residents, businesses, and stakeholders who share the common vision that there is no need to incorporate any part of Unincorporated East Cobb into an additional layer of city-government, and want to work together to educate and inform the voters who will be responsible for casting a “Yes” or “No” vote to incorporate.”
Bill Simon is one of three people listed among the group’s organizers. He’s got a consulting and finance background and runs a small business marketing agency in East Cobb.
The others are Emmanuel Kipreos, an accountant with children attending Timber Ridge Elementary School and Mindy Seger, also an accountant raising her family in East Cobb.
When asked by East Cobb News how many people are involved in or who have expressed interest in the East Cobb Alliance, Simon referred to an invitation-only Facebook group of cityhood opponents he said has 300-plus members.
As for next steps, Simon said “what we are now working on is building the coalition up to be able to get the word out that 1) there is an effort to incorporate parts of East Cobb into a new city, and 2) why it is a bad idea that will cost more money.”
The East Cobb Alliance has posted financial breakdowns of the costs and services proposed by the cityhood group, especially those pertaining to police and fire services, as well as franchise fees, intergovernmental revenues and the East Cobb city financial feasibility study.
That study by Georgia State University declared the proposed city—with around 96,000 residents—is not only financially feasible but would start with a surplus of more than $3 million. The cityhood group claims a City of East Cobb could operate without levying a higher property tax rate than what citizens currently pay in unincorporated Cobb.
The cityhood committee this spring appointed an independent financial group to examine the study and develop a working budget proposal.
Contacted late last week by East Cobb News, cityhood leader Rob Eble said he understands that the finance group’s work is done, and that it is “validating findings.”
The cityhood group had tentatively eyed August for another town hall meeting on the subject, but one has not been scheduled.
The cityhood bill introduced by State Rep. Matt Dollar of East Cobb near the end of the 2019 legislative session is slated to be taken up in the Georgia General Assembly next year.
If passed, the legislation would set up a cityhood referendum, which also would be held next year.
The East Cobb Alliance site also has a section entitled “cityhood charades,” examining those behind the cityhood group, especially those with real estate backgrounds and connections.
Simon said the East Cobb Alliance is asking for contributions from interested citizens, “as we have come out of personal pocket for Open Records, web domain, web hosting, and we will be wanting to print material to distribute as well.”
‘They’re stealing our stuff!’
An anonymously written blog has surfaced called Stop East Cobb Cityhood, calling the effort “a solution in search of a problem.” It expresses similar concerns as the East Cobb Alliance over taxes and real estate interests, but drips with sarcasm and colorful language more than financial analysis.
The eight blog posts that have been published aren’t dated, and some refer to committee president Joe Gavalis as “grifter-in-chief” or “charlatan-in-chief.” The pro-cityhood forces also are described alternately as “fraudsters,” “hucksters” and “tricksters.”
Some of the posts include photos of Barney Fife, Austin Powers and the McDonald’s Hamburglar to make acid points about what the blogger argues is a lack of specifics about a proposed City of East Cobb, and what’s driving it:
“The cityhood hustle is a naked land grab by a secretive bunch of connivers licking their chops at the prospect of turning our community into their personal ATM.”
The only identifying information about the Stop East Cobb Cityhood blog says that:
“We are homeowners in East Cobb who value our property rights and low taxes. We invite each and every one of you to compare the facts presented here with the shifting narrative and hide-the-ball tactics of the promoters. East Cobb is a special place with just the right balance of homes, businesses and open spaces. Let’s not hand over control of our homes and businesses to a group of insiders who want to cash in at our expense.”
Simon said he wasn’t aware of the Stop East Cobb Cityhood blog or who may be behind it and that the East Cobb Alliance is not associated with it.
A link to the Stop East Cobb Cityhood site is being promoted in Google search engine rankings as a paid advertisement with the headline: “Say No To Higher Taxes | Stop East Cobb Cityhood Today.”
More East Cobb Cityhood Coverage
- Comparing City of East Cobb finances to Cobb, North Fulton cities
- ‘Independent’ group auditing finances, building budget
- Visit the East Cobb News Cityhood resource page
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Birdwell, Dollar, Carson all claim support for incorporating. Yet, I have not one person in favor. Would anyone be willing to respond in favor of and why? What am I missing?