Braves, Cobb scheme to avoid democratic choice on stadium (Atlanta: cost, legally)

[FlyingFox]

Cobb County Commissioner JoAnn Birtell said a referendum on the stadium is "legally... not required" and "the November city elections are already past us... And we don't have any elections scheduled until May of next year. It would have to be a special election, and that would cost taxpayers 300, 400 thousand dollars."

Memorandum of Understanding finalized between Cobb Co., Braves - CBS Atlanta News

Why did the commissioners keep this deal secret from voters? The elections were Nov. 4. The stadium announcement was Nov. 11. Cobb County had been in talks with the Braves since July, and it is obvious the announcement of the deal was timed SPECIFICALLY after elections so that it would not become a campaign issue. Cobb government is not representing the people; they are representing big business. A referendum is the right thing to do but giving voters the opportunity to decide on this critical issue is EXACTLY what Cobb County and the Braves have been scheming to avoid. Given that nearly half a BILLION taxpayer dollars are on the line for this, spending a few hundred thousand dollars to ensure this is actually what the people of Cobb County want is the fiscally responsible and democratically ethical thing to do. In fact, if the Braves were serious about being "welcomed" to Cobb County, they would fund the referendum themselves. Instead, the Braves are behaving like this is a hostile takeover and Cobb County is complicit in steamrolling this past voters with a secret deal announced AFTER elections and with only two-weeks notice before a binding decision. This is so undemocratic it should be a crime.

[westau]

I might be mistaken, but I don't believe any of the Cobb County Commissioners were being elected so I don't really see how it was avoiding it as a campaign issue. I get the timing in regards to a referendum but not the other parts of your post.