It's Freezing Out There

Social media is lighting up with deluges of disinformation around city taxation as we have intentionally entered the overspend zone. Yet again. 

One of the key topics coming from the "spend then tax" crowd is that damned legal document known as the city charter. Seems when this fuster cluck was being sold to the electorate the pro-city folks included a maximum millage rate in the charter. The pitch at the time was this would guarantee we'd not end up with out of control spending and taxing, and since everybody agreed THIS city would be fiscally responsible (wink, wink) it wouldn't ever be an issue. Until it is. Like now. Another interesting deception coming from this crowd spins around the word "invest," as in "invest in the city." Sounds good, right? Problem is none of these lip flappers can can actually show how this so-called "investment" actually pays off. They also fail to mention that these "investments" come with ongoing operational costs for security and maintenance. Who's going to pay to keep these twelve foot wide "investments" clean and safe? Oh, yeah, that would be us, the taxpayers. So what they are really investing in a future of never ending tax increases.

Another deception centers around the property valuation freeze. Left out of these hyperbolic complaints is the fact that this freeze only applies to homestead properties, which, in the state of Georgia, means you must own the property and it must be your primary residence. Interesting side effect: if you're also a citizen it makes you eligible to become a voter. In the city. Ooops. What this set of whiners neglects to point out, front and center, is that commercial properties, including rental properties, are NOT homestead properties. No freeze for these. Just never ending backdoor tax hikes. This might explain why the city has become a proponent of apartments everywhere. The other fact that gets buried is that when a home sells, it is marked to market. Per Rocket Homes, this includes 43 homes sold in August alone (in July the number was 51). So the freeze gets thawed and the city sees a huge jump in a sold property's valuation. Cha-ching. Maybe that's why the try so hard to piss off long term residents. To get them to sell out and move on.

These folks absolutely refuse to entertain the notion of cost containment. They won't even consider slowing the rate at which they balloon city spending. It is as if the world will implode if they don't spend at least 5% more each and every year. Heaven forbid someone should question why a city of this size needs an assistant city manager. Really? They do like to compare Dunwoody to other cities. Notably those in other counties and cities which by any objective measure are not comparable. They want everyone to share their fear of missing out but they seem terrified of being ourselves. 

Why is that? Because these folks have no vision but they do have an excess of envy.  So when they see someone else getting something, anything, even if it is inappropriate for Dunwoody, well they lust after it. Not because it is any good, but simply because somebody else has something they don't. It is easily mistaken for a herd mentality but it is far worse. It is greed and jealousy. 

This is why we need to "right size" city government. And "right" means smaller.

Are We Having Fun?

Dunwoody changed liquor laws and threw some money at a private business in an effort to turn Dunwoody Village into party central. It worked. Folks are partying like they would in an Air BnB. Right here in our little town. 

Bringing the Party Outside

Nothing quite like a swig and a smoke sitting there watching the world go round and round. 

Does That Say "No Smoking"

To be fair, that "No Smoking" admonition isn't a city ordinance and that notwithstanding, even if it were it would not be enforced. Why? Because that would require enforcement. And Dunwoody doesn't do enforcement. Never has, never will. [ed: not quite true, as early on they enforced DWB until called out on it.] Now it may be that the cops Public Safety ambassadors at their fancy "command center" got all this on camera, but so what? They didn't care about Espinoza's pics so what makes anyone think these are of more concern?

And it should be noted that their "Real-Time Crime Center" was named after the police chief whose department harbored a bad actor and has cost us millions in legal fees. What bizarre universe do these people live in? Apparently one where you put up a flock of cameras so you can sit back and watch folks speed, run red lights and do pretty much anything else illegal, and then do absolutely nothing about it. Seems like their idea of community policing is "coffee with a cop" and not actually patrolling the city. You know, so we stay safe. 

Foreshadowing

Broken? Or, Fixing Stupid?

Didn't last long, did it? See, the shorter of the two recently installed light polluters has given up the ghost. Or, maybe someone pulled the plug. Either way, this is a clear indication of how this city works. They'll install something, anything, especially if there is outside money involved, but they will maintain nothing. Even if by "maintain" you simply mean "see what's broken and call on those responsible to fix it." Why? Well that's because the folks running this goat rodeo don't care. At least not enough to do a "wellness check" on things in the neighborhoods. But, to be fair, they may just be overwhelmed losing all those court cases. 

Make It Stop

Can he? Will he? These two blatant violations occurred on the same fine morning.

Another Red Light Runner

Frito Bandito: Ride Into The No-Truck Zone

And then, on another day that ends in "Y" we have another helping of Fritos.

You Can Set Your Watch By His Violations

Is anybody at city hall ever going to do anything about this? Didn't think so.