Cobb County Budget Decision Time
Numbers and budgets are not everyone’s “cup of tea,” but if you live or do business in Cobb County, it’s time to take a minute and study this issue. First, click here to understand the current situation – how we got here and what the facts are. At issue right now is the County Government portion of your tax bill, which is less than half of your total tax bill, excluding the school portion.
Now it’s time to think about the essential services that your taxes pay for, such as police, fire, EMS, emergency road repair, the court system, and required government services like zoning, inspections, and mapping. Then there are the remainder of the services that we have come to expect, like parks and recreation, libraries, senior center centers, arts centers, roadside mowing, road repairs, Cobb LINC bus system, and Keep Cobb Beautiful, among others.
So what’s next?
Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce is seeking your input on the next Cobb budget through a series of Town Halls around the county. The Mableton Town Hall will be on June 28th at 7pm at the South Cobb Community Center, 620 Lions Club Drive.
The Chairman’s budget calls for a 1.7 mil increase in property taxes, which would generate enough money to keep all of Cobb’s parks, libraries, senior centers and animal services open and allow for an increase in public safety resources. Also in the budget proposal would be hiring additional police officers and purchasing body cameras, restoring eliminated DOT maintenance positions, increasing right-of-way mowing contracts, and a phasing in of restored library hours, including Sunday hours at regional libraries.
It is important for Mableton and South Cobb residents to show up and be counted at this meeting! We have different needs and maybe different opinions than other parts of the County. Help your elected officials – the County Commission – understand how to deal with this budget problem. Their decision will shape our future.