County Commission Is At Odds Over Purchase of Parkland: Report

MARIETTA, GA — The Cobb County Commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a proposal to sell $24.7 million in bonds to buy land for new parks, but commissioners appear to be at odds over the proposal, according to a media report

Groups that support the purchase of more parkland point out that in 2008, Cobb County voters approved $40 million in park bonds, but they were never issued.

But Commission Chairman Tim Lee said the latest bond proposal could require an increase in the county's millage rate, or property tax, which he's unwilling to support, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Other commissioners expressed similar reservations.

Parks advocates say that because the 2008 referendum passed, the county has a "moral obligation" to voters to buy more greenspace, according to AJC.com. They note that the commission later decided to divert millions of dollars earmarked for parks under the 2008 referendum to cover the financing of the new ballpark for the Atlanta Braves.

Last week, the county commissioners also considered a list of candidate properties that could be purchased for parkland, AJC.com reported. The list has not been released, but the Marietta Daily Journal reported that it contains 13 properties.

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