tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post6260610508355133663..comments2024-03-10T17:17:00.115-04:00Comments on Dekalb Officers Speak: Taxpayers Shouldn't Become ATM MachinesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-42243692686133248452010-08-26T22:04:13.966-04:002010-08-26T22:04:13.966-04:00I appreciate Rep. Jacobs commentary. BUT the trut...I appreciate Rep. Jacobs commentary. BUT the truth of the matter is. .. Rep. Jacobs added language to HB203 that ALLOWS DeKalb County to use the stimulus bonds to purchase real estate and enter into a public private partnership. DeKalb hired lobbyists and sent representatives to the Gold Dome to make this happen and have bragged about their success with the "Jacobs Amendment". Perhaps Rep. Jacobs did not understand at the time the impact to taxpayers, perhaps the bigger goal was to ensure D'woody received their parks and fire station at fire sale prices.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-59722308314839319122010-08-24T18:24:29.581-04:002010-08-24T18:24:29.581-04:00This commentary was well written. How can we affo...This commentary was well written. How can we afford to build new developments when we have so many vacant and empty developments in such close range. It reminds me of what happens to malls and strip-malls when newer and larger developments open down the street or in some cases next door. <br /><br />We used to have our office on PIB back in 2007 and our office park (we were in the Gwinnett portion that faces the Dekalb portion of the former Sonny's and QT), our office park was begging tenants to come in and ditto for the ones next door.<br /><br />Jimmy Carter is still blighted, Johns Creek is congested and PIB has empty office parks and shopping centers. Sonny's BBQ even left so what makes Dekalb think this was the magic bullet. The numbers never added up. <br /><br />Well, Doraville PD can go back to writing their tickets as their economic stimulus package for their portion of PIB.Exceptional Radiohttp://www.exceptionalradio.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-4456560866957900482010-08-24T15:05:20.452-04:002010-08-24T15:05:20.452-04:00The GM project is at the wrong time and the wrong ...The GM project is at the wrong time and the wrong place. The wrong time is the current recession, the wrong place is north DeKalb. <br /><br />The developers don't understand DeKalb politics. North DeKalb is aggressively ignored by DeKalb government because DeKalb rulers know who lives in N. DeKalb, only rich white people! (If you exclude the huge Hispanic and Asian population)<br /><br />This project was a bummer from the beginning. Raising local taxes even minimally to support the redevelopment of rich white N. DeKalb is not a happening thing in DeKalb. Not only that, it was just a bad deal for DeKalb county government and citizens accepting most of the financial risk and exposure. If the project was a good risk then the developer would of found the financial backing for the entire project. As the deal stood, the county was accepting most of the risk while the developer made all the profit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-59599682059713979662010-08-24T12:55:10.650-04:002010-08-24T12:55:10.650-04:00The deal just got voted down. To gain some insigh...The deal just got voted down. To gain some insight into this, look at Ellis official bio on the county website. Take note of the law firm he is a partner at, Epstein Becker Green. Now take note of what law firm was to handle the legal work on this project, which would go into the millions, Epstein Becker Green. Lastly, take a look at CEO's bio and see what his specialty in his law practice is. Real estate development law.<br /><br />Total coincidence I am sure. Right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-83689144002108438782010-08-24T06:33:05.517-04:002010-08-24T06:33:05.517-04:00In these hard economic times place the gambling is...In these hard economic times place the gambling issue before the voters of this state and it will pass. Then Open up a "mixed use" casino & tourism center and turn Atlanta (and DeKalb) into the Las Vegas of the south. You even have a small airport nearby to support its growth. Think of the tax revenues and secondary jobs it would produce. If you did this then all of Atlanta and north Georgia would live and breathe again and we would all benefit. You have all those dollars spent all over the southeast in Biloxi, Pearl River, Shorter, Cherokee, and New Orleans etc anyway. Why not have folks send them here. And for those who think that it will bring "vice & crime" into the area, look around you and tell me what you already see! Just a thought from an old retired Dekalb Police Officer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-38853956665741257722010-08-24T03:06:14.685-04:002010-08-24T03:06:14.685-04:00Apparently none of the DeKalb politicians have eve...Apparently none of the DeKalb politicians have ever studied any management theories. One of the first things you learn is happy employees = productive employees. Giving the employees what they need to get the job done goes farther than pay only. If the County is looking to invest $35 million in tax payer money, then the wise thing to do would be to invest in the County employees, specifically public safety. Instead, these knuckleheads want to gamble on a project where there is no guarantee from the investor. Since when should tax payer money be used to buy property FOR a private business??? Then again, investing in employees is not a savvy vote-buying scheme.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-42225354264062175452010-08-23T23:24:37.532-04:002010-08-23T23:24:37.532-04:00I have worked with the Economic Development for th...I have worked with the Economic Development for the last decade and have found them to be a colossal pain in the ass.<br />Hiding under the CEO's office as irreplaceable but non-productive in their mission of economic growth and stimulous in DeKalb commercial development. <br />I think they have brought in two successful projects in 10 years bringing in about 100 jobs while wasting 30 million in funding and providing 30 jobs to the politically connected and unproductive. <br />Economic Development is a target rich environment for any reporter willing to investigate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-78378726529020381612010-08-23T23:22:48.906-04:002010-08-23T23:22:48.906-04:00Hey is this another Kevin Ross deal? He is in ever...Hey is this another Kevin Ross deal? He is in everything DeKalb does with someone to profit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-1113468849120633312010-08-23T23:21:31.168-04:002010-08-23T23:21:31.168-04:00Every land deal makes someone rich if a Commission...Every land deal makes someone rich if a Commissioner is involved. This has the smell of something foul.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-41558720776072113482010-08-23T23:19:07.367-04:002010-08-23T23:19:07.367-04:00Look at Sutton-Barnes using her county issued P-Ca...Look at Sutton-Barnes using her county issued P-Card to buy personal items. I wonder why this is taken for granted.She makes a 1000 thousand dollar purchase in 2009. I guess Christmas time was here. <br /><br />Then you have to look at who the commissioner was.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5067361049814621194.post-60560934130152028582010-08-23T22:12:45.601-04:002010-08-23T22:12:45.601-04:00I wonder how much CEO Ellis stands to make out of ...I wonder how much CEO Ellis stands to make out of this proposed deal???????????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com