East Cobb Government

Cobb commissioners to hold property tax public hearings

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The Cobb County Board of Commissioners  announces its intention to increase the property taxes it will levy this year, over the rollback millage rate, by 4.07 percent in the County Maintenance & Operations (General) Fund.

Each year, the Board of Tax Assessors is required by Georgia law to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate that there has been an increase or decrease in the fair market value of any specific property, the board of tax assessors is required by law to revalue such property and adjust the assessment. This is called a reassessment.

When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a “rollback” millage rate must be computed according to specific instructions issued by the Georgia Department of Revenue. This “rollback” millage rate would have produced the same total tax revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.

The 2026 proposed millage is higher than the recently computed “rollback” millage rate. Therefore, before the Cobb County Board of Commissioners may set the final 2026 millage rates, Georgia law requires that three public hearings be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on the increase.

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners (BOC) is proposing to maintain millage rates. The General Fund M&O will be set at 8.46; the Fire millage rate will be set at 2.97; and the Cumberland Special Services District II millage rate will be set at 2.45. Although these millage rates are not increasing from the prior year, Georgia law requires the County to advertise a “Tax Increase” in the press and on the County’s website because the tax digest has increased.

All eligible property owners who have claimed the homestead exemption for the 2026 tax year will see no change in their County M&O tax bill, as long as the property owner made no changes to the property that affect its taxable value. The floating homestead exemption maintains the net taxable value of the primary residence. When the millage rate remains unchanged from the prior year, the assessed tax for County M&O also remains unchanged.

All citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the Board of Commissioners meeting room located at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta, Georgia on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 9:00 AM, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 6:30 PM and on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

The Board of Commissioners will adopt the 2026 Property Tax Millage Rates for its three tax districts (General, Fire, and Cumberland Special Services District II) following the third public hearing at the BOC Meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

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Cobb to hold 2025 Comprehensive Plan meeting in East Cobb

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The next in a series of community meetings about Cobb County’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan update will take place next week in East Cobb.Cobb to hold 2025 Comprehensive Plan meeting in East Cobb

The meeting takes place on Tuesday, July 7, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Tim D. Lee Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road).

The 2050 Comprehensive Plan is a long-range planning document that incorporates such issues as land use, transportation, housing and economic development, typically with a 20-year window.

Under Georgia law, counties are required to update their plans accordingly and hold public engagement meetings.

In Cobb, those sessions began earlier in June (you can watch a video of the opening meeting at the bottom of this post) and are held in each of the four Board of Commissioners districts, as well as on a countywide basis.

Citizens also can complete an online survey to provide feedback on the plan, which must be formally updated by October 2027.

Here’s more general information about the Cobb 2050 Comprehensive Plan, with breakouts here about the update’s timeline, the Cobb community profile and other documents and resources.

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2028 Cobb SPLOST referendum to be put on November ballot

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Cobb commissioners set to vote on 2028 SPLOST project list

The Cobb Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to place on the November ballot a referendum to extend the Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax starting in 2028.

The vote was 4-0, with Chairwoman Lisa Cupid absent.

Cobb voters will vote by Nov. 4 whether or not to renew the one-percent tax for another six years.

The 2028 SPLOST would continue collections for a variety of projects, including roads and transportation, public safety facilities, parks and libraries upgrades and maintenance and more.

The estimated collection for the 2028 SPLOST would be $1.15 billion, with $794 million going to Cobb government projects.

The project list was approved by commissioners in April, and includes a $20 million relocation of the East Cobb Library from Parkaire Landing Shopping Center to an unspecified site.

County officials said in January they would like to rebuild the East Cobb branch, the second-busiest in the Cobb system, on county-owned land.

Cobb has leased space for the East Cobb Library at Parkaire since 2010, after the branch previously was located at Merchants Walk Shopping Center.

The rental cost has been nearly $400,000 a year, and library officials say they need more space. The East Cobb Library has 17,000 square feet of space, and a request for the proposed new branch called for 28,000 square feet.

But before adopting the referendum resolution Tuesday night, commissioners approved a late change capping capacity at the current 17,000 square feet.

Another East Cobb project on the 2028 referendum list is an $8.2 million expansion of the Tim D. Lee Senior Center.

The 2028 SPLOST also would fund a new Cobb State Court building to cost $174 million; $130 million in road resurfacing projects; and $60 million for a new infirmary building at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.

Another $30 million would be earmarked for a central aquatic center in Marietta to replace the current facility near the Cobb Civic Center; $30 million combined for two new fire stations in West Cobb and South Cobb; and $18 million for a new recreation center at a site to be named in South Cobb.

Among the transportation projects in East Cobb, $3.5 million would go for an intersection project on Shallowford at McPherson Road; $2.5 million each for improvements in the Johnson Ferry Road corridor and the Shaw Road corridor; and $1.5 million to upgrade the intersection of Lower Roswell Road at Paper Mill Road.

For a detailed list of the 2028 SPLOST referendum project list, click here.

For more on the 2028 SPLOST in general, click here.

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Cobb proposes $1.4B FY 2027 budget that holds millage rates

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Cobb proposes $1.4B FY 2027 budget that holds millage rates
Cobb chief financial officer Buddy Tesar

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday was presented a fiscal year 2027 budget proposal that would add 29 new positions to county government and keep the same property tax rates.

The budget would come to $1.4 billion, an increase of $84 million over the fiscal year 2026 budget of $1.325 billion.

The primary increases proposed are for water and sewer capital expenses, the creation of a stormwater utility fee, additional employee salaries and benefits and higher costs for employee benefits as well as healthcare and workers compensation claims.

You can read through the budget presentation by clicking here, or view the same information on the slideshow on the bottom of this post. You can also watch a replay of the work session below.

During a work session Tuesday afternoon, Cobb chief financial officer Buddy Tesar said that 20 of the new positions proposed would be funded through the general fund, and nine more in the fire fund.

Most of the new salaries in the general fund would come in the water and sewer department, which also includes stormwater services.

The budget also proposes reducing the amount of water revenues to the general fund from 4 percent to 3 percent.

The general fund is the primary source of revenue for Cobb government, paid through property taxes. The general fund rate of 8.46 mills would be unchanged.

Under the fiscal 2027 proposal, general fund revenues would rise by $29 million, from $646 million to $672 million.

The fire fund rate of 2.97 mills also would stay the same, with expenses proposed to rise from $160 million to $166 million.

Expenditures for claims and liability would go up from $128 million in the current budget to $139 million.

The stormwater utility fee—which went into effect in June after a controversial approval last year—is being budgeted for $17.1 million for fiscal year 2027.

The water and sewer fund would rise from $286 million to $307 million.

The presentation was brief—commissioners didn’t have questions, and Chairwoman Lisa Cupid was absent—with a basic breakdown of spending and revenue categories and what Tesar called “high-level” summaries of major line items of interest.

He also outlined “budget impact items” totaling $7.6 million that commissioners will be asked to approve for the current fiscal year 2026 budget.

Those include $4.5 million for a new medical provider contract with the Cobb Sheriff’s Office for inmate health care at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, and $2 million in increases in step and grade compensation tiers for the Cobb Police Department.

The proposed budget also recommends adding seven calendar clerks in Cobb Superior Court, a part-time position in the Cobb Medical Examiner’s Office, three veterinarian/technician positions in Cobb Animal Services and two positions in the procurement area for the countywide disparity study.

Tesar said the position requests for Cobb Fire are “currently being discussed with Commissioners.”

The budget also requests $500,000 to expand on-demand transit services through CobbLinc.

Since the proposed millage rates would not “roll back” to meet current budget totals, Georgia state law considers that a property tax increase, and Cobb must hold three public hearings on the budget.

They will take place on July 14 at 9 a.m., July 21 at 6:30 p.m. and on July 28 at 7 p.m., shortly before budget adoption.

For more Cobb budget information, click here.

To view the slideshow of the budget presentation, click the middle button below.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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Cobb 101 Citizens Government Academy registration continues

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The registration deadline for the 2026 Cobb 101 Citizens Government Academy is July 4. Cobb 101 Citizens Academy registration deadline approaching

Cobb 101 is an 11-week program offering citizens a chance to learn in-depth about the functions and departments of Cobb County Government.

Participants will visit facilities, talk to leaders and learn how their tax dollars are spent.

The 2026 Cobb 101 program will start in August and participation is limited to 32 people. The weekly sessions will take place on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m.

Here are more details about the program:

Through a combination of presentations and hands-on projects, participants will learn about vital community services including emergency services, law enforcement, planning, zoning, finance, court systems, public works, special projects, parks and recreation. Most importantly, participants will have the opportunity to connect with their local officials and county staff who provide these services. Weekly instructors will vary depending upon the county service or department being covered that week.

The program is structured around six strategic commitments:

  • Informed and engaged community
  • Financial health and economic prosperity
  • Healthy, livable and sustainable Cobb County
  • Transportation, mobility and connectivity
  • Safe and prepared community
  • Accountable and responsive government

Participants will gain a better understanding of:

  • The relationships between residents, the county manager and Board of Commissioners and governmental departments
  • The process of deciding why and how government projects are implemented and services are provided
  • The ways various projects support county manager and Board of Commissioners’ goals and objectives
  • The budgeting process
  • Roles and functions of county departments

To learn more about the Cobb 101 Citizens Government Academy, click here. To apply, click here.

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Cobb to hear ’27 budget proposal, consider SPLOST referendum

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The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday will be formally presented the fiscal year 2027 budget proposal during a work session.

That evening, they will be asked to adopt a resolution establishing a referendum in November to extend the Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax starting in 2028.

Commissioners will be holding two public hearings in July on the budget proposal, following Tuesday’s presentation.

In late April, county officials presented requests from department heads for 322 new full-time positions, 278 within the general fund, totaling $1.5 billion in spending.

That’s $157 million more than the current fiscal year 2026 budget of $1.3 billion, but those requests are unlikely to be reflected in the proposed budget.

Commissioners last year added only four new positions after being asked to create nearly 300 more jobs.

“The County does not have the resources to support all the requests presented, nor is the County considering funding all the requests,” Cobb chief financial officer Buddy Tesar noted in the April summary.

Most of the additional staff requests are from the Cobb Sheriff’s Office, public safety, courts and the Cobb District Attorney’s Office.

Last year commissioners held the millage rate for the general fund and slightly lowered it for the fire fund. The Cobb Tax Assessor’s Office is projecting digest growth of 4 percent for 2026.

Two public hearings on the budget are required, and have been scheduled for July 14 at 9 a.m. and on July 28 at 7 p.m., shortly before adoption.

You can find more Cobb budget information at this link.

At the Tuesday evening meeting, commissioners will be asked to pass a resolution scheduling the November SPLOST referendum (agenda item here).

The one-percent sales tax, if approved by Cobb voters, would raise $1.15 billion for a variety of construction and maintenance projects in Cobb and municipal governments over a six-year period, starting on Jan. 1, 2028.

Of that total, nearly $800 million would be for Cobb county government projects, including a relocated East Cobb Library branch, expanding the Tim D. Lee Senior Center, building a new Cobb State Court building, spending $130 million in road repaving projects and earmarking $60 million for a new infirmary building at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.

Commissioners adopted the project list in April.

The work session begins at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the county office building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta.

The Tuesday regular meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the same location. You can view the full agenda by clicking here.

You also can watch the meetings on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.

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Cobb school district sues county over tax-collection fees

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The Cobb County School District on Tuesday said it has filed a lawsuit against Cobb County government for what it calls “a money-grab” over administrative fees levied to collect property and sales taxes for schools.

Cobb board of educcation vice chairman David Chastain

In a press release issued Tuesday morning, the district said that over the last 15 years, it has been billed more than $130 million in administrative fees to collect property taxes that are then turned over to the school district.

This year, that total is $13 million, and the district claimed in the release for fiscal year 2027—which begins on July 1—the county is charging the district $20 million.

That’s due to an increase in what the county charges the school district in those collection fees, from 1.6 percent to 2.5 percent of the total taxes collected—from property taxes and Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Taxes (SPLOST).

“This lawsuit is about the hundreds of teachers and thousands of students who would be affected. Every Cobb homeowner, business owner, parent, grandparent, and student benefits from a strong public education,” Cobb Board of Education vice chairman David Chastain of Post 4 in Northeast Cobb said in the district release.

“The Commission is trying to take millions of dollars from our classrooms for a tax increase, disguised as ‘administrative fees.’ Cobb’s parents want smaller class sizes, not more ‘fees.’ ”

The district’s press release—which didn’t state an author’s name—alleges that the county is guilty of “a money-grab, from classrooms, for absolutely no reason, other than the presumed hope of ending the senior school tax exemption or forcing a tax increase on Cobb homeowners. Both of which are strongly opposed by the District.”

The lawsuit, which was filed in Cobb Superior Court, named Cobb County and Cobb Tax Commissioner Carla Jackson as defendants. (You can read the lawsuit by clicking here.)

But the ire of the district’s statements, and claims in the lawsuit, are aimed at the Cobb Board of Commissioners.

“The collection fee is both unreasonable and unlawful. No reasonable person would believe the County incurs over $20,000,000 in annual expenses just to collect school taxes,” the district lawsuit states.

“And more importantly, the County lacks legal authority to charge the collection fee in the first instance.”

The lawsuit states that a 2011 Georgia law, Local Act 240, requires a county tax commissioner “to remit all educational taxes collected to the Cobb County Board of Education without charging a collection fee.

“But the County has unilaterally decided that Local Act 240 is invalid and has refused to comply with its mandate.”

Cobb delays vote on appointing police chief for two weeks
Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid

The lawsuit further states that Cobb improperly adopted a home rule ordinance from 2011-2021 to circumvent the new law and “unlawfully” charged the school district a 1.6 percent collection fee, even after that provision expired.

Since then, the lawsuit alleges, the school district’s fees have increased from $9.4 million in fiscal 2022 to the present $13 million.

“Despite receiving more than $130,000,000 in collection fees since 2011, the County remains unsatisfied,” the lawsuit states.

A discussion between the school district and the county over the fees was to have taken place in February, with the county seeking an increase in the tax-collection fee to 2.5 percent, according to the lawsuit.

But the the lawsuit said that Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, who asked for the meeting with school district leaders, tabled that discussion, saying it was premature, and no further talks were held on the subject.

In May, the Cobb school adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget of nearly $1.9 billion.

On May 29, the lawsuit states, Cupid sent a letter to Cobb superintendent Chris Ragsdale and school board chairman Randy Scamihorn saying that Cobb would be imposing a 2.5 percent collection fee for school taxes, starting on July 1.

In that letter, which is included in the school district’s legal findings (you can read it here), Cupid wrote that there “is no valid legal local legislation designating a commission rate for the collection of school taxes. Without such local legislation, the state law rate of 2.5 percent is applicable.”

Cupid concluded her letter by saying that “there has been no further discussion on this issue since the February meeting and, as Cobb County enters its budget process, it is appropriate to make the change.”

The district’s lawsuit states that “over the next five years, the proposed increase would allow the Board of Commissioners to charge over $100,000,000 in fees for collecting school taxes.”

Cobb government spokeswoman Shelly Weidner told East Cobb News that county officials are reviewing the lawsuit with legal counsel and issued the following statement:

“The County’s position regarding the school tax collection commission was outlined in the May 29 letter provided to the School District and referenced in the lawsuit. This matter involves the interpretation and application of state law governing the collection of school taxes, and we believe it is appropriate for the courts to provide clarity on the issue.

“Because this matter is now pending litigation, we will have no further comment on the specifics of the case at this time.”

The Cobb school district said the $130 million sum it’s paid in property-tax collection fees since 2011 could go to fund the salaries and benefits of 130 teachers.

“Our bottom line is simple: Cobb’s students are already funded less than their peers in most neighboring counties,” the district statement said.

“We will protect the investment parents and grandparents have made to live and raise their families in Cobb.”

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Citizens urge Marietta City Council to scuttle data center

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Citizens urge Marietta City Council to scuttle data center
“Focus on what the community needs,” State Rep. Gabriel Sanchez told the Marietta City Council Wednesday.

Dozens of citizens crowded Marietta City Hall Wednesday to demand that a year-old vote allowing a data center on Bells Ferry Road to be overturned.

A few days after announcing they would speak at a regular council meeting, the protesters repeated recent claims they’ve made about environmental and noise concerns related to data centers, as well as potential rises in electricity bills.

Their remarks came at the end of the meeting during a general public comment period but didn’t generate a response from Marietta elected officials.

There wasn’t an item on the meeting agenda about the data center, and in the days since the protest was announced, city officials have issued statements reiterating that there’s no data center project that’s in the works, nor is there any agreement with Marietta Power for electrical use.

But that didn’t deter citizens, many of them wearing similar matching colored shirts and holding up “No Data Center” signs.

Many are younger political activists, associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. A man wearing an ATL DSA shirt, Perry Barrett (at right), who lives near the land where the data center was zoned, held up sheets of paper indicating signatures on a petition.

He said he works and is struggling to pay for increased household costs “and I can’t afford to move.” He urged the city council to impose a moratorium on data centers until conducting an environmental impact study.

Cobb commissioners issued a six-month data center moratorium in February. Data centers have been the subject of increased opposition across the country in recent months as high tech giants build gigantic data centers for artificial intelligence projects.

State Rep. Gabriel Sanchez, a Democrat from Smyrna whose district includes a sliver of Marietta city limits, said there is a “big push by billionaire elites” to build AI data centers, which he called “something we don’t need. Focus on what the community needs.”

Sanchez, a Walton High School graduate who also is active with DSA, told city council members that “you should listen to your constituents and put something else on this land.”

Also speaking out against the data center is Sam Foster, a recent Kennesaw State University graduate who nearly toppled longtime Marietta Mayor Steve “Thunder” Tumlin in last year’s elections.

The data center issue has begun to take on some partisan dynamics as well. The Cobb County Democratic Committee is supporting the protests.

Michelle Schreiner (seen below), a Democrat who is challenging longtime Republican State Rep. Sharon Cooper of East Cobb in November, issued a statement on her campaign website, saying that “the Bells Ferry Road data center isn’t just a local issue. It’s part of a much larger conversation about AI, infrastructure, and Georgia’s future. These aren’t anti-technology questions. They’re governance questions.”

She also supports a temporary moratorium “on large-scale data center approvals.”

But what Marietta passed in June 2025 on its zoning calendar, after going through the usual public notice procedures, was a data center on a smaller scale.

The city noted in its message earlier this week that the original proposal would have allowed up to 100 megawatts of power, but that fell through.

“The most recent discussions have included much smaller power purchase amounts of 60MW or less; however, even those conversations have stalled,” the city message said.

“Due to the careful structure of any potential agreement, a data center at this property would not place strain on the electrical grid or negatively impact current customers.”

Tracy Stevenson of Marietta, who led the public commenters, said the facts don’t add up in the favor of the protesters.

He said he’s been vilified in taking issue with the data center opponents and has “even been misgendered, but none of that hurts my feelings.”

Stevenson said he’s not either for or against a data center in Marietta, but what was approved a year ago “isn’t about AI.

“There is no deal. We do not know what we do not know.”

A resident in the nearby Bells Ferry Road community, Diana Martin, said she was among those who didn’t know about a data center approval until it was recently brought to her attention.

She said she’s not involved in any political groups, but is worried about noise and pollution issues, and followed other speakers in mentioning possible political repercussions in the next election (Marietta’s next election is in 2027).

“You can make a decision to reverse this based on what the community wants,” Martin said.

“We do not know what we do not know” about a site for a data center in Marietta in which there is no active project, resident Tracy Stevenson said.

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Citizens to protest forthcoming Bells Ferry Road data center

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Citizens to protest forthcoming Bells Ferry Road data center
The proposed data center land (in pink) covers nearly 30 acres on Bells Ferry Road at Interstate 75. OpenStreetMap

Citizens opposed to a new data center in the city of Marietta are planning to speak out on the issue at a Marietta City Council meeting this coming week.

Some had claimed that a public hearing was to have been held at the council’s regular meeting on Wednesday, but city officials said Friday that’s not the case.

“The City of Marietta is aware of misinformation being circulated regarding discussion of data centers,” the city announced over social media channels Friday afternoon.

“The City confirms there is NO town hall, public hearing, or item for Council discussion regarding data centers scheduled for the June 10, 2026 City Council meeting.”

There’s no mention of the data center on the council’s meeting agenda.

The city’s message was in response to information distributed on a website opposed to the data center with the URL StopCobbDataCenter.com and headlined “Not for Us—Cobb County.”

The site includes a message at the top indicating a public hearing before the Marietta City Council on June 10 (Wednesday), and asks that “we’re asking all attendees who support a permanent ban to wear red—speaking slots are limited, so a united visual presence is our strongest message.”

A Northeast Cobb resident contacted East Cobb News this week on the same matter, saying that she “just found out about the data center they’re planning to put up” and that “apparently there’s folks going to show up at a meeting of the Marietta City Council to have a say about this.”

But the caller’s concerns, as well as those from the “Not for Us—Cobb County” site are coming nearly a year too late.

In June 2025, the Marietta City Council unanimously proved a digital data center proposal on a 30-acre undeveloped tract following claims from prominent land-use attorney Kevin Moore that it would provide more than $70 million in tax revenue.

The data center would employ 40 people and house computer systems and servers and data and networking equipment.

While there was some community support expressed at the time, concerns also were raised over possible effects on nearby residential developments.

The more recent opposition comes as protests specifically against artificial intelligence data centers are growing around the country, citing electrical and water costs, as well as noise and environmental impacts.

A number of local governments in metro Atlanta have imposed temporary moratoria on data centers, including a six-month pause in unincorporated Cobb approved unanimously by commissioners in February.

Noted environmental activist Erin Brockovich also has joined efforts to oppose data centers and has begun an online map to track data centers across the country.

Her map includes the Bells Ferry Road property as a “community reported” site as of May 4. According to the map, such sites “show data submitted by concerned residents across the US about AI data centers.”

The concerned residents behind the “Not for Us—Cobb County” site are not identified. The site offers tips on how public speakers should express their opposition to the data center, including pointing out that no environmental impact study was conducted before the Marietta vote in 2025, and to contact their city council members.

“The developer has lawyers and $100M for a substation. You have the vote and the documented evidence,” according to the “Not for Us—Cobb County” site.

On the City of Marietta’s Facebook page, some citizens took exception to the city’s message about there not being a public hearing.

“There has been zero misinformation about it—public comment is open to non-agenda topics,” wrote one citizen.

“Surely you aren’t trying to discourage your constituents from attending a public council meeting, to speak with representatives who work for us? See you on Wednesday!,” commented another.

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Cobb sends out 2026 tax assessments with notice changes

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Cobb sends out 2026 tax assessments with notice changes

The Cobb Tax Assessor’s Office on Friday sent out 2026 property tax assessments with a number of changes in the notices, due to a new state law.

The changes include a place for homeowners to notify their county tax commissioner if they’re no longer eligible for a homestead exemption, a new box including current and previous year’s fair market value and a new box listing the “estimated tax savings associated with the exemptions, credits, or preferential assessment programs” indicated in another part of the notice.

The changes were prompted by the passage this year in the Georgia legislature of SB 566, which was to make property tax assessment notices easier to understand (more details here and you can watch the video below).

Legislators have been responding in recent years to concerns from property owners over rising assessments.

Friday’s mailings by Cobb are notices of assessment only and not property tax bills—those will go out in August and will be due in October.

Cobb Tax Assessor Christine Stinchcomb is estimating that the Cobb tax digest for 2026 will grow by around four percent.

The Cobb Board of Education in May adopted a fiscal year 2026 budget of nearly $1.9 billion that reflects that projection, although the formal digest total will be determined in July.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will be holding budget sessions in July, after the fiscal year 2027 proposal is presented. They heard budget requests from department heads in April and a formal budget proposal is to be made on June 23.

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‘Speechless’ East Cobb rabbi recognized by Cobb commissioners

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'Speechless' East Cobb rabbi recognized by Cobb commissioners

When he arrived as senior rabbi at East Cobb’s Congregation Etz Chaim in 2016, Daniel Dorsch had some very big shoes to fill.

He was called to succeed Rabbi Shalom Lewis, who started the county’s first Conservative synagogue in the early 1980s.

On Tuesday, Dorsch, a visible figure in the Cobb and metro Atlanta Jewish communities, was recognized by Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell for his decade at the helm.

“Alongside his wife, Amy, he has helped cultivate an inclusive and welcoming community grounded in meaningful Jewish experiences,” read the proclamation from Birrell at a Board of Commissioners meeting.

“Through his leadership, community outreach, and involvement in regional initiatives, Rabbi Dorsch has strengthened connections within the congregation and the broader Atlanta area, fostering spiritual growth, interfaith dialogue, and community engagement over the past decade.”

Dorsch, who came to Cobb from New Jersey, was joined by members of his synagogue to receive the honor.

“It’s very rare for a rabbi to be speechless,” quipped Dorsch, who started off Tuesday’s meeting with a lengthy invocation.

“I’m truly humbled by this honor and we look forward to serving the community for many years to come.”

Dorsch has been a president of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association and is is a member of the Community Advisory Board for the Holocaust Museum at Kennesaw State University.

In more recent years, with anti-Semitic attacks on the rise, he has been increasingly vocal about the subject.

In 2023, after Neo-Nazi protesters brandished a Swastika flag in front of the Chabad of Cobb synagogue on Lower Roswell road, Dorsch spoke at a special ecumenical service at East Cobb UMC, saying that “Anti-Semitism isn’t a Jewish problem. It’s an everyone problem.”

Following Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians that sparked an ongoing conflict in the Gaza region, Etz Chaim lowered the Israeli flag to half-mast and set up a table with chairs bearing the names of hostages.

Birrell quickly introduced a resolution asking commissioners to provide “unwavering support” for Israel, but some members of the Cobb Muslim and Arabic communities protested, and the resolution was withdrawn.

Last fall, Dorsch said the table was being taken down and the flag raised again following the return of the last of the remaining living hostages.

“There’s a lot of brokenness right now that’s in need of repair,” he said in a radio interview. “I’m hopeful and cautiously optimistic that this will be the turning point for a brighter future.”

Dorsch and his wife Amy—a teacher at The Epstein School, a Jewish day school in Sandy Springs—have two children, Zev and Haley.

On Tuesday, Dorsch said that Cobb is “a wonderful place for our family to make our home.”

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Cobb Board of Elections and Registration hires new director

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Submitted information and photo:

Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration recently appointed Leigh Phillips as the department’s new director. She has more than 20 years of experience in elections administration, with extensive leadership at both the state and county levels. Most recently, she served as director of Elections and Voter Registration in Henry County.

“I strongly believe in building public trust through accountability, accessibility, and clear communication,” Phillips said. “My goal is to make the voting process secure, efficient, and understandable for every eligible voter, while supporting the staff who carry out this important task.”

Prior to her work in Henry County, she served in multiple roles with the Georgia Secretary of State. She supported election operations statewide and worked closely with county election offices to ensure compliance with Georgia law and the effective administration of elections.

Phillips began her career in elections as a registrar with Fayette County Elections, where she developed expertise in voter registration and public service. As director, Phillips will oversee the administration of all elections and voter registration activities for Cobb County’s nearly 600,000 registered voters. 

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Cobb PARKS presents new Shaw Park field relocation plans

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Cobb PARKS presents new Shaw Park field relocation plans

Cobb PARKS officials met this week with board members of the Sandy Plains Softball Association concerned about the proposed redevelopment of Shaw Park and presented a new relocation proposal.

The Save Shaw Park Softball Facebook group posted an aerial shot of what was discussed (above), noting that all five existing softball fields will be retained.

Softball parents publicly expressed opposition to a proposal that called for nearly doubling the pickleball courts at Shaw Park from nine to 19, saying softball fields would be reduced.

County officials and Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell said that wasn’t the case, but they put the project on hold in March to hold further discussions.

“Field 1 will be relocated behind Field 3 and will feature a 125-foot layout with a full turf surface,” parent Ryan Hicks reported to the Save Shaw Park group on Wednesday.

“In addition, Field 5 will be upgraded with a turf infield.”

Birrell was in attendance at the meeting this week and told East Cobb News Thursday that the new proposal is just that—a draft—and that “there are other things to finalize before we can get the final site plan bridging documents and go out to bid.”

She said that there are no changes proposed for the pickleball courts beyond the initial expansion plans.

“We are pleased and excited that any and all issues were resolved and look forward to this project being completed,” said Birrell, who has come under political fire from softball parents.

She’s a four-term incumbent from District 3 in East Cobb and is facing first-time candidate Chris Wasserman in the May 19 Republican primary.

He’s been campaigning on the Shaw Park issue, but Birrell has maintained that softball fields were never going to be reduced in the redevelopment proposal.

On Wednesday, Hicks thanked other softball parents for contacting county officials and expressing their concerns.

“Your voices have been heard . . . Thank you again to everyone involved for contributing to a solution that supports the needs of the entire community.”

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2028 Cobb SPLOST project list adopted with late objections

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2028 Cobb SPLOST project list adopted with late objections

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted 4-1 to adopt a project list for the proposed 2028 Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax extension.

It contains only a few changes from the original proposal, but the last addition in particular set off some differences on the five-member board.

The board will vote in June on establishing a referendum in November for voters to decide on more than $794 million in county government construction and maintenance projects.

They include relocating the East Cobb Library, expanding the Tim D. Lee Senior Center, building a new Cobb State Court building, spending $130 million in road repaving projects and earmarking $60 million for a new infirmary building at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.

But at a voting meeting Tuesday night, a last-minute addition totaling $5 million drew objections from the board’s two Republican members.

JoAnn Birrell and Keli Gambrill opposed shifting that amount of funding from repaving projects for an indoor track facility in South Cobb at the behest of Chairwoman Lisa Cupid.

She’s been wanting to construct such a facility for years, when she was the District 4 commissioner, and added the request prior to Tuesday’s vote.

Gambrill and Birrell said they disliked not only the timing—and without any public feedback as a result—but taking away money from what Gambrill called “a critical infrastructure need.”

The project list first went out for public review in early 2025, without the indoor track listed on it—”and that’s because it didn’t have support” from the board, Gambrill said.

“So I think we are being very disingenuous to the public by making this change.”

She said while she doesn’t support the track project, “I do believe the voters have the right to vote on this referendum. But I also think the voters need to be aware that we are putting on a project that is not properly funded.”

Cupid said the track project was originally on the 2016 SPLOST list, and said her interest didn’t start with that source of funding.

She said there have been other recreational projects that were put on previous lists without a full funding amount.

Cupid added that she approached two commissioners she did not identify who said they would support, and she asked county staff to place the track project on the list “and to please help find some funding sources to put it back into the program.”

She said complaints about a lack of transparency are wrong.

“I have not tried to hide this, I have asked commissioners for support,” Cupid said, calling the project important to “adding to the recreation portfolio of this county.”

The final list includes another shift of $5 million by Birrell, from the proposed relocation of the East Cobb Library, to address flooding issues on Columns Drive and for maintenance and improvements at county parks in District 3.

Cobb’s cities also must finalize their project lists. The 2028 Cobb SPLOST, if adopted by voters, would continue a one-percent sales tax that would collect an estimated $1.15 billion over six years, starting on Jan. 1, 2028.

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Cobb commission candidate profile: JoAnn Birrell, District 3

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During a time of political flux and at times turmoil in recent years, JoAnn Birrell said her tenure on the Cobb Board of Commissioners reflects a record of steady leadership that continues to be needed.Commissioner Birrell recognized

A Republican first elected to represent District 3 in 2010, Birrell is seeking a fifth term in the May 19 primary against Chris Wasserman, a first-time candidate.

She said that continuing her advocacy for improving public safety salaries and benefits, working to establish a Cobb veterans memorial and seeing through various renovations and other initiatives in her District are her priorities as she seeks re-election.

“I am seeking another term to ensure the projects I have initiated come to fruition and to continue serving the people of District 3 and Cobb County,” Birrell told East Cobb News.

Birrell’s website can be found by clicking here. The winner of the GOP primary on May 19 will face Democrat Kevin Redmon in November.

Early voting began Monday and continues through May 15; consult our early voting guide for more information. Our profile of Wasserman can be found by clicking here.

District 3 includes most of East Cobb (see the map). In 2022, Birrell was easily re-elected with similar boundaries. There has been some speculation since then that she would not seek another term, especially as tempers flared on the board over redistricting, a conflict she called “two years of hell.”

Wasserman has said that the five-member board needs new energy and ideas, and that Birrell bears some responsibility for occasionally fractured proceedings.

But Birrell responded by saying that she’s forged deep connections that reflect a high level of energy that she will continue to exert if re-elected.

“I have faced primary opposition in all four of my previous terms, so this was not a surprise,” Birrell said of Wasserman’s candidacy.

“Regarding the need for ‘new energy,’ a constituent recently compared my pace to the ‘Energizer Bunny.’ I have built strong community relationships and business partnerships over many years of leadership. I would be interested to know what new ideas are being proposed that have not already been explored.”

For a larger view of District 3, click here.

Wasserman has been critical of what he says is the board’s inability to separate needs from wants in budgeting, and that the focus should be on what he calls “core services.”

Birrell countered that she’s advocated fiscally responsible spending in county government, and that her top priorities have been public safety and reducing the amount of general fund money the county receives from Cobb Water revenues.

“I am committed to reducing the water transfer to zero percent,” Birrell said (the current rate is 4 percent, and it has been as high as 10 percent during her time on the board).

She also voted against imposing a stormwater fee for that reason, saying at the time that “I can’t justify any more revenue. I just can’t.”

In addition to supporting the gradual installment of a pay-and-grade salary structure for public safety personnel, Birrell also pushed for the creation of a new police precinct in Northeast Cobb that eventually will be full-service.

“Public safety has always been my top priority,” Birrell said. “I am dedicated to supporting our law enforcement, firefighters, 911, EMA, and animal services to ensure the safety of our citizens, businesses, and visitors.”

Birrell also pulled together a variety of sources to fund the rebuild of the Gritters Library, which now houses the Northeast Cobb Community Center.

But it’s more recent projects that have prompted objections from Wasserman. He’s against the proposed relocation of the East Cobb Library, and thinks the $20 million price tag could be even higher, perhaps more than double that amount.

Birrell recently proposed shifting $5 million from that project to address flooding issues along Columns Drive and for park upgrades in District 3.

Birrell (center) with East Cobb Civic Association members at an April Adopt-A-Mile cleanup.

In 2017, Birrell suggested closing the East Cobb library during a budget crunch (and when it was not in her district.) Now, she is justifying the need for a new library facility not just for financial but also for space reasons.

It’s the second-busiest branch in the Cobb library system, and the county pays $400,000 annually in rent at the Parkaire Landing Shopping Center. The proposed relocation would be to county-owned property that hasn’t been revealed.

That lease ends in 2029, and she said that “it is fiscally prudent to use SPLOST dollars to build a county-owned facility rather than continuing these lease payments.”

She added that the original cost for the relocation came to $35 million, but that has been reduced by keeping the square footage comparable to the current size.

“Despite receiving very little negative feedback directly, we still reevaluated and scaled back the costs, and the final survey showed significant community support,” she said.

In March, Cobb PARKS officials “paused” plans to redevelop Shaw Park after softball families complained a field would be taken out for pickleball courts.

Wasserman accused Birrell of waffling on the issue, saying that the pause on park plans is only because “she’s seeking re-election.”

But she said in acknowledging a miscommunication on the issue that the fields that are being relocated are being spread out, not reduced.

Birrell said previously that some critics were “trying to make it sound like we don’t care about girls softball. I’m a girl. I care.”

She said she’s stressing to voters a long history of keeping their priorities and their pocket books in mind, especially when it comes to taxes.

“Keeping taxes low and maintaining fiscal discipline remains a primary focus,” Birrell said. “My conservative record reflects this; I have never voted for a millage increase in 16 years.”

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Cobb commission candidate profile: Chris Wasserman, District 3

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As a business owner and young father raising a family in East Cobb, Chris Wasserman said he has become alarmed in recent years about the leadership of county government, and in particular how it taxes its citizens and spends their money.Republican announces bid for Cobb Commission District 3

The founder of Wasserman Talent Solutions, the Osborne High School graduate now lives in a Northeast Cobb neighborhood where his children attend school, and where he has become invested in community affairs.

He said that as he has watched a fractured Cobb Board of Commissioners spar over budgets, spending priorities and other issues in recent years, “I became very concerned about the decisions and directions” made by that five-member elected body.

Calling himself a “home-grown candidate,” Wasserman announced earlier this year that he would challenge the elder member of the board in his first campaign for public office.

“It’s time for fresh blood and new ideas,” said Wasserman, a Republican facing four-term incumbent commissioner JoAnn Birrell in the May 19 general election, with the winner to face Democrat Kevin Redmon in November.

(Early voting began Monday and continues through May 15; consult our early voting guide for more information. Here is our candidate profile of Birrell.)

Wasserman’s campaign website can be found by clicking here. He’s also having a public campaign event next Thursday, May 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at East Cobb Park.

Wassserman and his wife are the parents of a daughter, 10, who attends Keheley Elementary School, and a son, age 4.

District 3 includes most of East Cobb (see the map). In 2022, Birrell was easily re-elected with similar boundaries. There has been some speculation since then that she would not seek another term, especially as tempers flared on the board over redistricting, a conflict she called “two years of hell.”

Wasserman said he met with Birrell several months ago when those rumors were abounding not just in East Cobb, but around the county.

Cobb BOC District 3 map
For a larger view of District 3, click here.

When Birrell announced she would be running again, Wasserman said he wasn’t deterred from launching his bid “to be an advocate for our taxpayers and their champion.”

In an interview with East Cobb News, Wasserman said that the board requires some new leadership.

“Sixteen years is a long time,” Wasserman said, referring to Birrell. “It’s time that we expect more from our county government.”

Since 2021, the commission has had a 3-2 Democratic majority, led by Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, who previously had served as the only Democrat on a board when Republicans dominated with a 4-1 majority.

Birrell has bridged that transition, and Wasserman said she bears some responsibility for a county government that he said taxes too much and doesn’t spend that money as wisely as it should.

“The county is basically nickel- and diming us,” he said. “Enough is enough.”

He said the commission needs greater fiscal discipline, and it hasn’t been separating “needs and wants.” If he’s elected, Wasserman said, “I will be looking out for the taxpayer.”

The current Cobb fiscal year 2026 budget of $1.325 billion has held the line in general fund property tax rates, but includes increased revenues due to rising assessments that have drawn citizen protests.

But the board hasn’t reduced the millage rate to reflect that, and in starting in June, Cobb property owners will pay a stormwater fee for services that previously had been included in their water and sewer bills.

Wasserman said his priorities would be to “focus on the core services and take a hard look” at everything else.

As an entrepreneur, he continued, “I have a superpower for looking at a budget and cutting the waste. The lack of a small business owner on the BOC is a detriment.”

Among those priorities are better pay and benefits for public safety personnel, which has been one of Birrell’s signature issues during her term on the board.

“We need to do a better job of looking after the people protecting our community,” Wasserman said.

More specifically, he pointed to projects in the East Cobb area where he thinks Birrell has come up short.

He doesn’t like the proposed relocation of the East Cobb Library, and thinks the $20 million price tag could be even higher, perhaps more than double that amount.

Wasserman campaigning at Shaw Park in late March.

The original cost for the new library that was cited in the proposed 2028 Cobb SPLOST (Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax) was $25 million, but Birrell recently proposed shifting $5 million to address flooding issues along Columns Drive and for park upgrades in District 3.

“That’s just a number on paper today,” Wasserman said, adding that this typifies what he’s seeing from a county government that is “trying to remodel the basement when you’ve got a leaky roof.”

He pointed to the $60 million cost to rebuild the Cobb Animal Services shelter. While acknowledging that “costs are rising, we need to be taking care of our core services.”

As his campaign got underway, Birrell came under fire for the proposed redevelopment of Shaw Park to include more pickleball courts. Softball parents objected, saying a softball field would be taken away, a charge that Birrell and Cobb PARKS say isn’t true.

Wasserman quickly sprung into action, meeting with Sandy Plains Softball parents and taping a campaign video at Shaw Park. The county quickly announced that it was putting an indefinite hold on the redevelopment.

He accused Birrell of waffling on the issue, saying that the pause on park plans is only because “she’s seeking re-election.”

Wasserman said he’s also running to help small businesses deal with red tape and other frustrations he says he hears a lot about, including the slow pace of permitting (“there’s no sense of urgency”) and the need for better technology in county government and a “customer service mentality.”

But the larger issues concerning Cobb government are larger and deeper than that, Wasserman said, pointing to a lot of “bad blood” on the commission that he claims is preventing collaborations and healthy conversations to take place about the future of the county.

He said Birrell “should be doing that. That’s her job. We should expect more.

“People are telling me that while they appreciate what she’s done, they are ready for change. My value proposition is resonating.”

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Cobb commissioners set to vote on 2028 SPLOST project list

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Cobb commissioners set to vote on 2028 SPLOST project list

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday is scheduled to finalize the project list for the proposed 2028 Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax extension.

The project list that’s on the agenda for Tuesday night’s meeting (you can read it here) totals more than $794 million in county government construction and maintenance projects.

That includes reducing the cost of the proposed relocation of the East Cobb Library from $25 million to $20 million to finance other projects in the East Cobb area, as well as a major expansion of the Tim D. Lee Senior Center.

The proposed Cobb SPLOST extension includes $1.15 billion for a variety of construction and maintenance projects that include Cobb cities as well.

Commissioners would still have to pass a separate resolution calling for a November referendum for the public to decide whether to extend the one-percent sales tax for a six-year period starting in 2028.

But SPLOST referenda must have detailed project lists before they can proceed.

Earlier this month county officials presented results of an online survey about the 2028 SPLOST, saying that of the 2,088 responses, 84 percent were in favor of renewing the sales tax.

But when breaking down their views of specific projects, only 25 percent said they would support rebuilding the East Cobb Library.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, whose District 3 includes most of East Cobb, wants to take $5 million from the East Cobb Library funding to address flooding problems along Columns Drive, and for general county park upgrades in the district.

Chris Wasserman, her Republican opponent in the upcoming primaries, has been critical of the funding amount of the proposed East Cobb Library rebuild, saying it’s an issue of wants over needs.

The library currently rents space at the Parkaire Landing Shopping Center for more than $400,000 a year. It’s the second-busiest branch in the Cobb library system, and officials have said they need more space.

A relocation site hasn’t been disclosed but county officials have said they’re eyeing existing county property.

The Tim D. Lee Center expansion would cost $8.4 million.

Other big-ticket items on the proposed SPLOST project list include a new $174 million Cobb State Court building, a$130 million in road repaving projects and $60 million for a new infirmary building at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.

The Cobb commissioners meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the county office building at 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta. You can view the full agenda by clicking here.

You also can watch the hearing on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.

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Birrell would shift 2028 SPLOST funds for East Cobb projects

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Birrell proposes SPLOST funds for Sope Creek flooding issues
Columns Drive floods after heavy rains in 2024; it’s an issue that might be addressed in the proposed 2028 Cobb SPLOST.

Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell said Tuesday she wants to set aside $3 million in a proposed Cobb Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) extension to address flooding problems along Columns Drive and in the Sope Creek watershed area near the Chattahoochee River in East Cobb.

She also wants to create another proposed line item for $2 million for upgrades, maintenance and improvements at county parks in her District 3, which covers most of East Cobb.

At a Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Birrell said she is requesting to shift that $5 million total in proposed funding that had been earmarked for the construction of a new East Cobb Library branch, which came in with a price tag of $25 million on a SPLOST project list released in January.

She said that the new library, which would move from Parkaire Landing Shopping Center to a freestanding building on county property, would be slated for $20 million on a SPLOST project list that commissioners will be asked to finalize later this month.

Birrell announced those changes after a brief presentation of public feedback for the 2028 SPLOST, which could go out to a November referendum. Commissioners are expected to vote on establishing a referendum by June.

If that SPLOST is approved by the public, the one-percent sales tax would be continued for a six-year period starting in 2028, and would collect an estimated $1.15 billion for a variety of county construction and maintenance projects.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Deputy Cobb County Manager Bill Volckmann revealed results of an online survey about the 2028 SPLOST, saying that of the 2,088 responses, 84 percent were in favor of renewing the sales tax.

But when breaking down their views of specific projects, only 25 percent said they would support rebuilding the East Cobb Library.

In another sample, 55 percent of respondents said they viewed the East Cobb Library rebuild favorably, while 45 percent said they did not support it (see the slides below for more).

(A summary of the 2028 SPLOST includes upgrades at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center in East Cobb and the construction of a new Cobb State Court facility.)

Birrell said that a new library is needed because the county is spending nearly $400,000 a year in rent at Parkaire Landing, and because it’s the second-busiest branch in the Cobb system and is running out of room.

The East Cobb Library has 17,000 square feet of space, and includes study and meeting rooms as well as a community meeting space. The proposed new branch would have 28,000 square feet at a location that hasn’t been determined.

“We’re still building a nice library, approximately the same square footage, and building our own building,” Birrell said.

But she said other spending needs for the 2028 SPLOST have come up in her district. Sope Creek flooding issues were emphasized by citizens during a recent effort to replace trees along Columns Drive.

In reading from prepared remarks, Birrell said Cobb DOT and Cobb Water would use that $3 million in funding to “provide support to flooding and stormwater projects within the Sope Creek watershed.”

Columns Drive has been easily flooded in heavy rains, in particular in September 2021, when many residential areas in East Cobb were damaged and destroyed due to stormwater problems.

Specific projects for the $3 million, according to Birrell, could include watershed analysis, the bridge on Columns Drive over Sope Creek, flood plan acquisition, offline water retention facilities, streambank restoration and other public stormwater improvements.

She didn’t specify the $2 million in funding for park improvements, but they would apply only to “existing parks and recreation facilities within District 3.”

Birrell has come under fire recently for proposed changes at Shaw Park from some softball parents, who have claimed that proposed pickleball additions would limit softball availability. That proposal has been put on pause for the time being.

Birrell is a four-term Republican who is seeking re-election, but she has a primary opponent in first-time candidate Chris Wasserman.

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Former Cobb government spokesman visits ECCA

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Former Cobb government spokesman visits ECCA

Submitted information and photo:

The well‑known and well‑loved Ross Cavitt joined the East Cobb Civic association (ECCA) as the featured speaker for the March ECCA General Meeting. Mr. Cavitt recently retired from Cobb County after eight years as Communications Director, following a distinguished 30‑year career in Atlanta as a News Reporter and Bureau Chief at WSB‑TV.

His perspective—shaped by decades of reporting across Atlanta and around the world, and later by his leadership in Cobb County government—made for an entertaining and fascinating conversation. He shared stories from the field, insights from covering major national and international events, and reflections on the evolving landscape of local news and public communication.

During his time with Cobb County, Mr. Cavitt oversaw the department responsible for all aspects of county communications, including CobbTV, which broadcasts county meetings and assists departments in producing videos to highlight their programs. His work helped strengthen transparency, accessibility, and public engagement throughout the county. 

Pictured above is ECCA’s President Richard Grome greeting Ross Cavitt to speak at the general meeting. The public is always welcome to hear a different speaker each month. ECCA’s next meeting is April 29 to be held at the Wellstar Health Park on Roswell Road at 7:00 pm. 

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Cobb tax appraiser predicts 2026 tax digest to grow 4 percent

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Cobb tax appraiser predicts 2026 tax digest to grow 4 percent

Cobb Chief Appraiser Christine Stinchcomb is predicting that the Cobb tax digest for 2026 will grow by about four percent.

That would be similar to the 3.39 percent growth in the county tax digest in 2025, and reflects a cooling real estate market that appears to be leveling off.

Stinchcomb appeared in a brief video posted Tuesday on the Cobb County Government Facebook page (or you can watch it below).

The tax digest is the official assessed value of all taxable properties in the county, including residential, commercial and personal property.

Local governments base their budget and millage rates on the tax digest, which is formalized in July.

While Cobb’s tax digest has grown each year since 2013, there’s been a drop in that increase over the last two years.

The Cobb tax digest reached an all-time high of $47.4 billion last year, with the average home sale across the county coming to $520,000. That compares to an average sales price of around $400,000 in 2021.

There were a total of 78,000 reassessments last year, Stinchcomb said, adding that 121,000 properties are being reassessed this year.

“The sharp growth that we saw in 2023 and 2024 has leveled off,” she said. “The average increase in value is smaller than what we saw last year.”

The Cobb tax digest grew by double-digit figures in 2022 and 2023, primarily due to sharply rising reassessments that prompted citizen outcry.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners has not reduced its general fund millage rate in that time, staying at 8.46 mills. The Cobb Board of Education millage rate was unchanged last year at 18.70 mills.

The largest portion of a property owner’s tax bill is school taxes, and the deadline to file for a homestead exemption is Wednesday.

Wednesday also is the deadline to file a Taxpayer Return of Real Property to report changes to a property that could affect its value.

Full tax assessments will go out in May; the final tax digest is issued in July, as Cobb commissioners consider the fiscal year 2025 budget and just after the Cobb school board finalizes its fiscal year 2025 budget, which goes into effect on July 1.

For information contact the Cobb Tax Assessor’s office at 770-528-3100; via e-mail at  [email protected] or by visiting its website.

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