Rep. Jill Chambers still has questions....

This letter was published in the AJC letters to the Editor on May 11 and posted on GoDeKalb.com on May 12:

To the Editor:

In response to the letter from DunwoodyYES advocates, it has not yet been determined that a new city of Dunwoody will be able to collect the property taxes in the DeKalb PCID.

The Georgia Constitution (Art IX, Section VII, Paragraph V) requires that a CID and it's authorizing entity enter into a cooperation agreement. Among the provisions in the agreement with the PCID and DeKalb County:

The County shall retain full and complete authority over the provision of governmental services and over any of it's facilities located within the CID.

Plans adopted by the CID Board must comply with County policies and planning. The CID shall provide notice of meetings to the CEO of DeKalb.

The agreement can only be modified by formal written action of both parties (PCID and DeKalb County government.)

Since this constitutionally mandated agreement requires that the County provide the governmental services, will the property taxes that pay for these services continue to go to the County? Or will businesses in the area be required to pay an additional city property tax on top of the County taxes?

Will a new city of Dunwoody be able to enact or enforce zoning if the CID must comply only with County planning? Will both the PCID and DeKalb County be willing to dissolve the CID charter and transfer these powers to a new city of Dunwoody?

These contingencies were not examined by the Carl Vinson Institute study or by the citizens advocacy group.

I have asked these and other questions regarding the Dunwoody city study both in legislative committee and in public for many months. I do not know the answers and I expect that they will only be resolved in a court of law.

Will the homowners in a new city of Dunwoody be willing pay even higher property taxes if and until this legal issue is resolved? Personally, I want to know the answers before a referendum on cityhood.

State Rep. Jill Chambers
R - North DeKalb