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Health & Fitness

Setting the Facts Straight

As we draw closer to our historic vote on November 8th, we've seen a lot of misinformation circulating about the proposed charter for the City of Peachtree Corners. Here are the real facts.

As we draw closer to our historic vote on November 8th, we’ve seen a lot of misinformation circulating about the proposed charter for the City of Peachtree Corners. To ensure you have the facts, we’ve put together the following points to clarify the most common misunderstandings:  

MISINFORMATION #1

Creating a city reduces the value of Peachtree Corners.

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THE TRUTH: Creating a City of Peachtree Corners puts quality-of-life decisions into the hands of people who live here.

Putting local citizens in charge of decisions that directly affect them and their  neighbors will only serve to improve the community. Currently, the 38,000 people in the Peachtree Corners area are represented by one county commissioner whose district includes Norcross and Lilburn (totaling 250,000 people) in a county of more than 800,000. That means that four other commissioners can decide what happens in our community.  Can that one commissioner, who may not always be from Peachtree Corners in the future, and 4 other commissioners who represent a diverse citizenry make better decisions for us than a mayor and 6 council members that live in and are paying taxes to the new city?

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MISINFORMATION #2

The charter allows for more services than advertised by its supporters.

THE TRUTH: The City Charter allows for only three services: planning and zoning, code enforcement, and trash pick-up (section 1.12.b of the charter). That’s it. Period.

The charter lists all possible services available to any city to prevent the charter from having to be amended by the State Assembly in case these services are desired by the citizens in the future. However, the City Council cannot unilaterally enact ANY new service without the specific approval of a majority of the voters (section 1.12.c). The citizens of Peachtree Corners are in full control of the growth of the city – the power does not rest in the hands of the elected officials.

MISINFORMATION #3

Taxes can be raised at will.

THE TRUTH: By itself, the City cannot raise the millage rate cap above what is in the charter. The citizens of Peachtree Corners will have protections unlike any other city in the state of Georgia guaranteed to them by the charter that gives them say over increased taxes and services. Only the State legislature can raise the millage rate cap by amending the charter.

MISINFORMATION #4

This is just the beginning…as soon as the city is created it will grow and add new services until it’s a full-blown city controlling all our lives.

THE TRUTH:  The city charter clearly puts the growth of the City in the hands of its citizens. Growth of the City will only happen if a majority of citizens want it to. By themselves, the City Council and Mayor cannot add new services. Our charter is the only one of its kind in the state of Georgia and was explicitly written to give maximum control to its citizens. Furthermore, ANYONE living within the borders of the new city can run for Mayor or City Council and ensure, as an elected official, that the City meet its obligations without over-stepping the bounds desired by the community.

MISINFORMATION #5

Creating a City of Peachtree Corners adds a new layer of government.

THE TRUTH: There will be no overlap or duplicate “layer” of services conducted by the newly created City and the County. Planning and zoning, code enforcement, and trash pick-up will be governed by the City, while the County will continue to provide all other services as it does today. No new layer - only neighbors making the quality-of-life choices that are right for Peachtree Corners. The City of
Peachtree Corners will bring the government closer to the people where it can be more effective and accountable.

MISINFORMATION #6

Annexation by surrounding cities is not a threat.

THE TRUTH: Annexation of property in the Peachtree Corners area is happening now, and it will escalate if this referendum fails. To say otherwise is to ignore the facts:

  • FACT: There are three ways a neighboring city can successfully annex property. Two of them do not require the votes of the citizens getting annexed (link).
  • FACT: Our homes do not need to be annexed for our property values to be reduced. A city can annex key properties (i.e. Technology Park, The Forum, undeveloped land) and change the zoning without any say or vote from those of us living in the area.
  • FACT: As cities face shrinking revenues due to decreased property values, they are looking for new sources of taxes. Annexation of contiguous properties is an attractive way to raise revenues.
  • FACT: Surrounding cities like Duluth, Norcross and Berkeley Lake have plans TODAY to annex property in or near Peachtree Corners (, , ).
    Norcross is completing the annexation of four properties in the proposed City
    of Peachtree Corners (, ); Berkeley Lake has 16 businesses committed to joining their city ().   Using the 60%/40% method of annexation allows Berkeley Lake to force 40% more acreage to join their city.
  • FACT: The City of Duluth has plans to annex Gwinnett Place Mall and Sugarloaf Country Club (). How long before The Forum becomes too much of an attractive target for a cash-strapped city to ignore?
  • FACT: The property across the street from The Forum is extremely valuable to the future of our community. Who should be making the decisions on what is developed on that property? A neighboring City Council?  Four other county commissioners with no stake in the development of our community?
  •  FACT: If we don’t want to control our community and its borders, we are vulnerable to outside people who do.

 

MISINFORMATION #7

In order to be annexed, the citizens must be allowed to vote in a referendum.

THE TRUTH: There are three ways to be annexed: 1) a legislative annexation, which requires no vote, just the approval of your legislator.  2) The 60/40 method where if 60% of an area voluntarily agrees to be annexed, another 40% that is contiguous to the 60% can be forced to join the annexing city or 3) the 100% method where the property owners and citizens have a vote and decide. Two of the three can happen without a citizen’s say. It’s important to note that the City of Peachtree Corners referendum chose the route that offers the citizen’s their maximum voice to be heard. Outside annexation attempt need not follow the same route.

Becoming a city and securing our boundaries is the only way to ensure we control our community’s future.

MISINFORMATION #8

The supporters of the City are prepared to issue 30-year bonds to pay for a city hall, government buildings, and vehicles for elected officials.

THE TRUTH: No plans have been made regarding administration of the City. None. No one is drawing up blueprints or shopping for cars. The grassroots Peachtree Corners Yes! group is made up of volunteers who have no legal standing to plan or make commitments regarding the future of the City. Governance decisions will be made by the Mayor and City Council elected by the people of Peachtree Corners in March of 2012.

MISINFORMATION #9

You cannot trust those that support the City referendum.

THE TRUTH: Ultimately, the fate of Peachtree Corners and its future rests in the hands of you and your neighbors. The charter gives the citizens unprecedented power to control the size, scope, and mission of the local government. Those that worked hard to write the Charter felt it was critical to give this power to the citizens, not the government. To say you can’t trust the charter’s supporters is to say you cannot trust your neighbors.

Moreover, the City of Peachtree Corners has been endorsed by Rep. Tom Rice, Commissioner Lynette Howard, Senator Fran Millar, and School Board Representative Dr. Mary K. Murphy. Collectively, this group has over a half century of dedication and service to Gwinnett and the community of Peachtree Corners. Their work and support to bring this referendum to the people provides a level of accountability and reassurance. 

MISINFORMATION #10

We don’t need to become a city – we’re doing just fine the way we are.

THE TRUTH: Assuming things will remain the way they are today is shortsighted. We need not look far to find nearby communities that were vibrant twenty years ago and are in strong need of revitalization today. Do we want to wait for things to get bad before we take action? Unfocused planning and lax code enforcement will lead to community decline and decreased property values.  Betting that a county with shrinking resources can take care of our community’s needs better than we can is a gamble doomed to fail.

As our community ages, we need to take the steps necessary to keep it strong and vibrant. Local control of planning and zoning, code enforcement, and trash pick-up will ensure we continue to grow and remain a great place to live, work, and play. 

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