Just before Christmas the Committee for Cityhood in East Cobb released a revised feasibility report done by the Center for State and Local Finance at Georgia State University clarifying some findings in response to critics– although its initial positive findings and conclusions remained unchanged.
The initial study, requested by state Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta, and released in early December made news when it concluded that a new east Cobb city would begin with a healthy revenue base and that no tax increase would be required by its new citizens. Under Georgia law, cities must provide a minimum of three services, and that is what the GSU study affirmed could be provided as well as other services.
Interestingly, dialogue in Cobb County over cityhood is also occurring in south Cobb, where a cityhood movement has emerged and where a feasibility study is reportedly to be commissioned at the request of an as-yet unknown state legislator.
The revised GSU East Cobb Cityhood report can be found by clicking HERE
Among the GSU clarifications: It said the study incorporates the correct interpretation of how the Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) would be distributed to East Cobb and answered critics with additional references to the base year of 2017 for its property tax analysis.
(Editor’s note: In the interest of full disclosure, the East Cobb cityhood committee retained Phil Kent Consulting to handle media/communications. Its president Phil Kent is also the CEO of InsiderAdvantage Georgia.)
