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I think what the people up north are complaining about is not just the amount of money Fulton spends but how and where it is deployed.
And that justifies making an extreme decision to break off and form another county? There are other ways to solve their "issues" and it's not like North Fulton is a dump. The fact that we can't work together or work out our problems is a huge issue for this metro area. I don't think any other metro area in the country is so divided.
Oh, and now Dunwoody wants to be a part of Milton County. So who is next?
And that issue justifies making an extreme decision to break off and form your another county? There are other ways to solve their "issues" and it's not like North Fulton is a dump. The fact that we can't work together is a huge issue for this metro area. I don't think any other metro area in the country is so divided.
I hear what you're saying and I don't want them to break off either. It will wound Fulton County and the city of Atlanta severely.
However, what the North Fulton people would say is that they have been trying for many years to work things out and have basically been told to take a hike. They can cite you chapter and verse.
I hear what you're saying and I don't want them to break off either. It will wound Fulton County and the city of Atlanta severely.
However, what the North Fulton people would say is that they have been trying for many years to work things out and have basically been told to take a hike. They can cite you chapter and verse.
What is it exactly that they want? What is wrong with North Fulton the way it is now? Their taxes are "too high"? I've always thought it was BS, but after living here for a while, I completely understand why people say the things they do about metro Atlanta. The suburbs and the state would do anything to kill the urban counties of Fulton and Dekalb and the city of Atlanta. I just don't get it.
What is it exactly that they want? What is wrong with North Fulton the way it is now? Their taxes are "too high"? I've always thought it was BS, but after living here for a while, I completely understand why people say the things they do about metro Atlanta. The suburbs and the state would do anything to kill the urban counties of Fulton and Dekalb and the city of Atlanta. I just don't get it.
Roughly: They want more control over their communities. Hence, why they formed all the cities in North Fulton and nothing is unincorporated now.
The other issue, they don't believe they get a good return on their tax dollars. They believe too much of it goes to South Fulton and I presume, Atlanta as well?
Roughly: They want more control over their communities. Hence, why they formed all the cities in North Fulton and nothing is unincorporated now.
The other issue, they don't believe they don't get a good return on their tax dollars. They believe too much of it goes to South Fulton and I presume, Atlanta as well?
That's precisley what the debate is all about. Kind of like taxation with little representation?
To the gent that there are counties that have over 1,000,000 out West that do just fine?
Great, name them. And before you spout off anything in California, you better think twice. These are the guys that took the WORLD's 8th largest GNP to bankruptcy....being big doesn't necessarily mean you are getting it done?
To the ones who condem them and say they are dumping on poor ol South Atlanta?
Tough. Quit pissing money away like drunken sailors. Quit having so much corruption with their money and maybe you too, will get some credibility. Detroit went through a similar phase when they listened to that half cocked crazy mayor for 20 years who took every shot possible at the predominantly white crowd....guess what slick? They moved....
Where's Detroit now? Broke. Bulldozing neighborhoods because it's CHEAPER than having to put the fires out....and the mayor took off with pension intact....nice....
Why can't we just all get along and work it out? Well, you saw what happened at Grady. They had to bring in a guy who actually knew a thing or two about business. I think they have improved but hey, that only took 30 years....how long does one have to wait to work things out??? Much like the Federal Government....quit pissing away our money. The tax base in the North is NOT a bottomless pit. The citizens only tolerated the abuse in better times...through clenched teeth...if it's so damn great everywhere ELSE in the County, great, then you won't miss this feedbag......or will you?
So, let's quit TALKING about working it out and actually WORK things out...it's not like it's been hard to get an audience up here....albeit a captive one....now is it???
And to those that think they will perish without Atlanta? Hardly. Have you checked where the jobs are moving to? Let me help. Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Northern Cobb, Roswell, Alpharetta and the surrounding suburbs....I don't see Home Depot, UPS ad nauseum moving to South Fulton....do you? Even with "all it has to offer" to include the airport....and I seem to fail to miss all the great growth in broke Clayton and THEIR surround suburbs....wanna take another swing at that one?
I guess the bottlenecks going NORTH on Ga 400 have nothing to do with the GROWTH off Ga 400???? Herrrrrrrrre's your sign.......
As far as 3 generations? Are you kidding? This place is almost as tansient as Hartsfield Jackson on a Monday morning...here today, gone later today....next.....
Bottom line, the gent who mentioned the savings in duplicated efforts is dead on. Don't worry about sourcing police, sewer, fire, etc...John's Creek did an excellent job swiping 21 of Alpharetta's finest for their police department....I'm equally confident that if given a chance, Milton could/would siphon off the very best public service personnel in the state....they can afford it....in about 4 months if given the green light...chances are, the services would improve and perhaps the city of Atlanta could outsource to them? We should be so lucky.....
C'mon Fulton. Give them a chance. If they fail, look at all the fun you will have, however, if they succeed, look at it like......an opportunity...for "personal and professional" growth complete with 4 weeks pay and some 22 Chick from "you-pick-the-outsourcing-firm-hired-to-prevent-lawsuits" organization to help you "move on"....Christ, the millions in terminated pension liabilities alone looks tempting...dont you think? No more checks for 40 years for those that served 10....syndrome....
And you wonder why they are pissed? Here, let's turn this around, give the North Fulton folks 75% of the taxes and let's see what THEY can do with them. You know, and don't complain when services are reduced in your area for say, I dunno, 30 or so years.....let us put up a hospital you can pay for.....an airport you could actually be proud of when you walked through it.....
Let Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, and the city of Roswell bond their resources (one fire department, one police department, one sewer department...etc....) and watch the community thrive.
I promise you this, at the very least, the jobs will appear, the roads will be clear, the police will arrive, the fire will suppress, the hospital will run in the Black, crime will stay low and you won't need a uzi to get around safely.
All this and they will probably end up with a revenue surplus in 3 years...hey, call my bluff....find out what you have been missing all these years.....
What is it exactly that they want? What is wrong with North Fulton the way it is now? Their taxes are "too high"?
What Caleb and PKCorey said. This is not something new, by the way. The people up north have been hollering and trying to get county to work with them for many years. But, you know, after you keep getting poked in the eye for so long....
Even if Atlanta completely turned around (and it is on its way, for now at least), it won't matter to you people. It will never be "good enough" until the city of Atlanta does end up like Detroit. And guess what, despite the nice suburbs, the Detroit metro continues to LOSE people, jobs and businesses. A metro area without a healthy core WILL perish.
And an airport we can be proud to walk through? Are you serious? What is wrong with Hartsfield? It's pretty damn nice.
"Let Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, and the city of Roswell bond their resources (one fire department, one police department, one sewer department...etc....) and watch the community thrive."
Hmm, aren't you contradicting yourself? The community already is thriving... or in your words, "you don't see Home Depot and UPS moving to South Fulton" and "the bottlenecks on 400 = growth". So if they are thriving now, how is it so bad a new county must be created?
...
Even if Atlanta completely turned around (and it is on its way, for now at least), it won't matter to you people. It will never be "good enough" until the city of Atlanta does end up like Detroit. And guess what, despite the nice suburbs, the Detroit metro continues to LOSE people, jobs and businesses. A metro area without a healthy core WILL perish.
And an airport we can be proud to walk through? Are you serious? What is wrong with Hartsfield? It's pretty damn nice.
...
Another great post from mike7586.
You are spot on about the Detroit+Its Nice Suburbs Reference. We must have a healthy core.
And--how can anyone dare to look down upon Hartsfield? Have they traveled the U.S./World? Unbelieveable...
(shakes head in disgust) .......*sighs* Ya know, I cant help but think that this whole argument wreaks of the stench of racism......
As much as we all would like to feel that the metro area is as liberal and progressive as any other global cosmopolitan urban area in America, stuff like this only underscores that there are indeed still the flames of hatred billowing in North Ga.
Alot of these gold dome conservatives whine and complain about taxation and taxes and taxes......and on some points I can agree. The residents of N. Fulton should have an equal amount of their money spent in that locale but Im pretty sure so do the residents of extreme South Fulton where development has been scarce for a number of years.
The main issue revolves around the whole NIMBY rhetoric.....N. Fulton is a more affluent, primarily Euro-centric area that wants to be a part of the economic success of Atlanta, but not wanting to call the millions of African Americans, Latinos, LGBT folks their neighbors. Now this IS supposed to be America and you can feel how u please. But lets be honest folks, this battle will be drawn sorely along racial and economic lines.
Perhaps the residents of middle (Im not gonna include Lower S. Fulton because that area is scantily populated and there are quite the number of affluent communites OTP along the I 85 corridor) Fulton COULD contribute their proper share of tax dollars to fund their own social services, such as schools, MARTA, healthcare, etc., but these same residents were AND are STILL disenfranchised by the millions of whites whom took a hateful attitude toward the city when it decided to desegregate under Mayor Massell in the 60s. You cannot expect a population such as the inner city of Atlanta to ever gain social and economic independence if resources are not spent to educate them, and adequate police to rid the area of the poverty which has resulted from years of neglect and years of drugs being shoved down that community's throat. Simple as that.
Even if N. Fulton does become "milton" county as some conservatives wish, that would only hinder progress as taxes would then balloon as the fledgling county would have to compensate for Transportation, roads, schools, hospitals, etc. Also, I should mention that the major businesses and corporations would be turned off as they too would feel the tax crunch as Milton would be compensating for lost resources.....I would think.
As a well educated 24 y.o. black male currently within a year of my degree, I never ever understood the whole NIMBY argument at all. You say you dont want that....."element" (n*ggas, that is lol) infesting your suburban wonderland, but I just got off the Marta from Roswell road. All I seem to see are blacks and latinos who go about their daily routine and seem to have a fair amount of disposable income.
Even the lack of transit has not stopped the diversification of the OTP north of 285. Countless transplants of ALL races call North Fulton home, and as a side note Im almost sure it wasnt "taxes" or Milton, or anything else that attracted them to this part of the nation. Everyone calls these suburbs home because they can i.d. with the city of Atlanta. Atl is the sole reason these suburbs even exist, most of the aforementioned areas not being more than 20 years old.
In the midst of the worst recession and a birthing global depression, this is NOT the time to divide our city in half due to old sentiments about race and money. Instead, we ALL should be appreciating what Atl is and what the city's success has done for GA and America as a whole. There are more Frt 500 companies here than ANY other city besides NY and Houston. The music industry here, call it "ghetto" or not, has put a great look on Atl as the new "place to be" in 21st century Americana. Abraham Lincoln stated a bible verse which says "A House divided CANNOT stand"......that was true then, and is more so true now.
So, let us then come together, sit down, all the metro counties, and put our heads together as one to move this region foward for the 21st century and beyond. I love Atlanta and appreciate what this city is, good and bad. As a transplant that has lived in nearly every sort of biome America has to offer, I can truly say that there is certain spark, an element found in Atlanta and Atl-iens that is not found anywhere else......especially the South.
Cmon yall, lets stop the hatred. This world aint gettin no better. Love your families AND your neighbors, be it poor, black, white, asian, latino, LGBT, whatever.
Peace.
(follow me on twitter @MrWestMuzik!!!!)
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Here's your sign......
