Here is an update sent out by Jere Wood, my choice for Mayor of Roswell, Georgia:


Campaign Issues

In five weeks you will have the opportunity to choose who will be Mayor of Roswell for the next four years. You deserve to know where I stand on the issues. This week I address how the city spends your tax dollars. In the coming weeks I will be sending out emails on other important local issues that effect you.


I am interested in what you have to say. If you have any questions about property taxes, how the city spends your tax dollars, or other issues please contact me at mayorwood@mayorwood.com and I will personally answer your e-mail.


City of Roswell Spending, Budget, and Property Taxes

The economic downturn has hurt Roswell businesses and homeowners, but because we were prepared, it has not resulted in a tax increase, nor caused a reduction in the Fire and Police protection that keeps Roswell safe, nor taken away from the Recreation and Parks Department that makes Roswell the best place to live in Georgia. Just as Joseph advised the Pharaoh to save in time of plenty, Roswell set aside over $26 million in good years as a “rainy day fund” – enough to make it through today’s economic famine, even if the economy does not get better for several more years.


Operating Budget

In response to falling revenues, early this year we cut Roswell’s 2008/2009 operating budget by $1,500,000.00. For the current 2009/2010, I proposed cutting $10 million from the previous budget. Two million dollars of this was to come from the operating budget, accomplished by not funding non-essential programs and by eliminating vacant non-essential employee positions. The remaining $8 million was to come from cutting capital expenditures.


By a vote of 4 to 3, the Council adopted my 2009/2010 operating budget with no substantial changes. The budgeted operating expenses adopted by the majority do not exceed conservative revenue estimates. The three dissenters argued that we should furlough employees to save money.


Capital Budget

I budgeted payment for capital expenditures from money saved in prior years, as I have done every year I have served as Mayor. The Council unanimously voted to add $2.2 million in expenditures to my proposed capital budget, including the three who voted to furlough employees. Later the same three Council members voted against spending $1.1 million for 22 new police cars. These three now claim that the City budget we passed constitutes deficit spending, even though operating expenditures are less than projected revenues, and we are not spending money we do not have, nor are we borrowing money to pay for capital expenditures. Roswell still has $26 million in our rainy day fund, enough to handle any contingencies.


Property Taxes

I have always been conservative regarding fiscal policies and careful how I spend your money. Under my leadership, Roswell has cut its property tax millage rate 17%, reduced the number of City employees per capita 26%, and cut operating costs by 5% adjusted for inflation. We have invested $101 million in parks, City buildings, and other capital projects and have grown our investment funds from $24 million to $65 million. We earned a AAA bond rating, the first city in Georgia to do so.


I am the only candidate for Mayor who has proven to have the ability to lower your City property tax rate and provide you the best City services available in North Fulton County at the lowest cost. If you want to keep your property taxes low and the cost of City services down, re-elect me as your Mayor on November 3rd.


Visit his site at MayorWood.com