To the editor:

Unfortunately, Mr. Jim Dickson continues to espouse that Rep. Tom Taylor and I have taken away people’s right to vote for Fire and Emergency Management Services in Dunwoody. [“Changes to city charter a ‘power grab,’ Dunwoody Reporter, May 2-15.]

We have a legal opinion that states under home rule in the Georgia Constitution the city council can change how we provide these services. We can’t limit what the operating cost will be but we put in statute that it is the intent of your legislators that the operating cost not exceed the prior five-year average cost. To date, Mr. Dickson has furnished no contrary legal opinion.

I believe the city will only take this action if DeKalb tries to substantially increase our current cost or service levels deteriorate.

The 3.04 millage cap that Mr. Dickson refers to is for city services – see your property tax bill. Fire and EMS are a separate line item on your property tax bill. Former Sen. Dan Weber, the author, has confirmed on several occasions that this cap applies to city services, not Fire and EMS. Again Mr. Dickson refuses to accept this.

Former Sen. Weber and I also provided in prior legislation that if we take over Fire and EMS, then the cost of each fire station is $5,000.

Finally, the power grab as alleged by Mr. Dickson is a case of one man’s opinion. He is certainly entitled to his viewpoint but the facts do not bear out his conclusions. I consider this matter closed.

Sen. Fran Millar

Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) represents District 40 in the Georgia Senate.

Joe Earle

Joe Earle is Editor-at-Large. He has more than 30-years of experience with daily newspapers, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was Managing Editor of Reporter Newspapers.

One reply on “Letter to the editor from Sen. Fran Millar: Facts do not support claim of ‘power grab’”

  1. John McNicholas Resident Dunwoody.
    THE WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN!!
    Senator Millar has Two Democrats sticking up for his flawed explanation ( Mr. Wescott & Mr. Augustine ).
    I wonder where the Senators Republican friends are???
    In reading the Senator’s explanation I do not believe he truly refuted the facts that Mr. Dickson stated.
    If what the Senator said had any merit , then it would not have been necessary to change sec 1.03 (37) of the Dunwoody City Charter.
    No credible Republican would ever change the Dunwoody City Charter to give a blank check for taxes and debt to four (4) members of the City Council.

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