Paul Ploener, Chairman

Concerned Taxpayers In Cobb Co

Cobb School District Found Guilty of Ethics Viotlations!

On February 25th, The State Ethics commission found that the Cobb County School District and two School Board members committed a total of 5 ethics violations.

TAX AND SPEND
Our Cobb Commission Chairman Bill Byrne and District Commissioner Sam Olens want to bring back the 1% sales tax levied by the county. Both have ideas on how to spend the money. Bill Byrne wants pay off debt and Sam Olens wants to buy more land for parks. CTCC has an idea. Let's not raise taxes and permit the citizens of Cobb County to spend their money on their familiesand their private property.

Tax Relief From the State Our Legislature and Governor Barnes deserve our congratulations for passing property tax reduction and a taxpayer bill of rights. While the amount of $83 million should have been higher, we are happy to see some relief coming our way. We can do more and CTCC is recommending legislation for Cobb County similar to legislation for Chatham County, entitled HB 350. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Burke Day from the Savannah area. It eliminates back door property tax increases caused by property reassessments. The law allows the Homestead Exemption to increase by the exact amount assessments increase. A copy of HB 350 is available upon request and will be provided to all members of the Cobb County legislative delegation by CTCC. Contact your State Representative or State Senator to support similar legislation for Cobb County.

Thumbs Up for Cobb Schools and Down for Marietta
Our Cobb School Board is working hard to cut costs on construction of the new High School in West Cobb. It has been reported that this school will cost in the area of 27 million dollars. They have put into place cost efficiencies and will be sharing athleticfacilities with a nearby county park. Our City of Marietta School Board is spending close to 40 million dollars on their new High School. A vocal minority want less spent on this school so they can also build a much needed elementary school.

Ethics Complaints Frivolous?
CTCC filed ethics complaints against The Cobb School District with the State Ethics Commission during the 1% sales tax election last fall. These complaints were characterized as frivolous by United for Kids Co-Chair Johnny Isakson. The State Ethics Commission did not agree. They found the Cobb County School District guilty of three violations and fined them $3000.00. The Chairman of the Ethics Commission noted that if you weigh a possible $1000.00 fine versus passing a $500 million tax increase, then you might choose to risk the fine. The charges weren't frivolous, but the risk of a small fine versus the reward of millions in tax revenue makes the consequences of being found in violation trivial.

CTCC ON THE WEB:
Email: Palplo@aol.com
Web Site:
http://members.aol.com/palplo/ctccindex.html

Meetings

We will be meeting at Vittles Restaurant, 1075 Whitlock Ave., Marietta, every third Monday. Please join us at 7pm sharp.

Please Join in 1999
Please send us your dues for this year. They are only $10.00 and can be sent to: CTCC, PO BOX 666295, Marietta, Ga 30066. Your help will be vital in 1999. There will be many issues on taxes and spending that need to be addressed this year.

We are 2 out of 3 in Elections!
We have won two out of three elections that we have contested on tax increases. We won the first school tax and the transportation tax, but lost the second school tax election. The school tax passed with only 22% of the electorate voting while the transportation tax lost when more than 50% of the electorate voted. Maybe our fellow Cobb County citizens were willing to keep the sales tax at 5% and swap a transportation tax for a school tax. Maybe when you get a large turnout, taxes go down to defeat. I am gratified that CTCC is in step with the people in Cobb County when it comes to the issues of taxes, spending and accountability. Please stay involved and plugged in to our movement.

More Trains, Planes and Automobiles.
Our new Governor and Cobb Chamber of Commerce Chairman want to bring MARTA style mass transit to Cobb County. The solution they want to bring to us is a so-called "regional solution". This will be used to thwart the will of local county governments and citizens. This also means that we will be getting government subsidized transit that will create new bureaucracies like the MARTA system in Atlanta. If you do not want the quality of life in Cobb County to deteriorate into the mess that exists in the city of Atlanta, then please help us to oppose the Barnes mass transit boondoggle.

Where's The Maintenance?
The Cobb County Schools showed a video at almost 100 forums that highlighted the run down condition of many of our existing schools to justify their 600 million dollar tax increase. Now the School System has their money. The principals, teachers, students and parents at the existing schools with leaking roofs and other maintenance problems are being told they will have to wait almost two years before they see a dime. The Cobb County Schools have routinely underfunded maintenance. They keep building new schools, but do not adequately fund maintenance for older schools. This policy is going to haunt those in charge when they come with their hands out to the public next time.

Email Us At Palplo@aol.com