Mayor’s State of the City Address By the Numbers
Here's a snapshot of the event by the numbers.
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Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon gave his annual State of the City Address Thursday, July 12 at the Smyrna Community Center. Here's a snapshot of the event by the numbers.
What Smyrna Looks Like
51,271: Smyrna’s population according to the 2010 U.S. Census. “You’re going to see some population numbers that have just exploded,” he said. “Folks are coming from Vinings and Marietta. They want to move to Smyrna.”
33.7: Median age of Smyrna’s population.
54,603: The median household income in the city is $54,603.
49.3: Percent of Smyrna’s population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is 15 points higher than the metro Atlanta region.
Show Me the Money
73 million: Dollars in Smyrna’s FY 2013 budget. “Our budget and our finances are extremely sound,” Bacon said. “We have a conservative budget. I think we’re one of the most conservative cities.”
8.99: Smyrna’s millage rate. The rate has remained the same since 2007 and has been on the decline since 1991.
40: The approximate percentage of the city’s budget that comes from property taxes.
190: Days the city could operate on its reserve funds. "We’ve been able to maintain our reserves,” he said. “I think you have to have that. You have to money just in case. And I think we’ve got enough money to run the city for about 200, 190 days if something was to happen.”
2: City-owned properties for sale. In his address Bacon talked about the property at the corner of Dunton Street and Concord Road that the city purchased earlier this year. The property is back on the market and is listed for $350,000.
He also mentioned Hickory Lake, the 726-unit apartment complex the city purchased in late 2010. The city is now marketing the 48-acre property as Smyrna Grove.
See Other News From the State of the City Address:
R. Anderson
3:50 pm on Sunday, July 15, 2012
The Marietta Daily Journal
December 14, 2010
DEAR EDITOR
Cobb County taxpayers have much to be upset about concerning the Hickory Lake Apartment Complex. I was lead counsel in connection with a lawsuit filed against Hickory Lake in Cobb Co. State Court. The trial lasted nearly two weeks. While the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Spence Family, the amount of the verdict was small in comparison to the harm done.
In 2002, the Housing Authority of Cobb County issued Multi Housing $38,000,000 in Revenue Bonds to Hickory Lake, LP, an obscure limited partnership comprised of multiple Limited Liability Partnerships from Ohio to Colorado. The alleged purpose of these funds were to rehabilitate the aging complex in order to provide safe and affordable housing to low income residents of Cobb County. Millions of dollars went to companies owned and controlled by Hickory Lake General Partner, Robert A. Crowder. Hickory Lake, LP also received $15,000,000 in Federal Tax Credits pursuant to Section 42 of the IRS Code, to be paid over 10 years for their "investment" in Hickory Lake. That's over $1,300,000 per year paid to the corporate partners at Hickory Lake. Despite this government give away to corporate interests, the apartment complex was so riddled with health and safety problems that Smyrna Code Enforcement deemed the living conditions "unsanitary and otherwise dangerous to human life." The jury never heard about the tax credits, or profits Hickory Lake received.
R. Anderson
3:50 pm on Sunday, July 15, 2012
Fortunately, Hickory Lakes will be razed in a few short months. As a Cobb County resident, business owner and taxpayer, I am disgusted by the poor regulatory oversight that permitted Hickory Lake to obtain millions of dollars in corporate welfare, while putting the health and safety of thousands of Cobb Citizens at risk. As a husband and father of two young children, I am disgusted and outraged that our officials allowed these conditions to exist. Cobb County taxpayers were as compassionate as they are conservative when they agreed to fund safe and affordable housing to low income residents.
The city of Smyrna is now prepared to pay Hickory Lake, LP over $9 million to buy back the land, while Hickory Lake and Robert Crowder pocketed millions of our tax dollars. Hickory Lake, LP and Robert Crowder should be held accountable for their conduct. The interests of justice require it.
Michael P. Carvalho, Esq.
Cobb
Editor's note: Mr. Carvalho is an environmental attorney in Cobb County.
R. Anderson
8:53 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
If the city can't get businesses to locate in Market Village rent it out as a movie set.
http://www.times-herald.com/Local/20120718-senoia-council_walking-dead-MOS
R. Anderson
8:58 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
There are so many solutions to the problems that exists in Smyrna yet the council does nothing. Absolutely nothing. I don't think one of them has ever had an original thought in their head.
By their own actions this council has proven that it's not here to help the city. They sit on that council for their own personal gain. City council meetings are just actions they go through to enable them to profit from their council positions. They don't give a fiddler's fart about this city.
Brian
5:03 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
The county should sue Hickory Lakes former management to recoup some of the funds.
Neal Dow
7:41 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
Sue Robert Crowder and Hickory Lake LLP? He did what he was supposed to do. NOT maintain the apt. complex. Smyrna wanted the land. Crowder was to let the complex get so run down the city "had" to buy it. Evidently you don't how things work around here.
Neal Dow
7:46 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
I drove by the standoff last night because they said it was at an apt. complex. I wanted to see which one it was so I'd know which complex the city would say they had to buy because of undesirables. But it wasn't an apt. complex it was a house. Couldn't tell what was going on and kept driving.