Save Tucker!

Before you vote on Nov. 3, make sure you know exactly what you are being asked to consider.  Tucker, by the new boundaries, will include a lot more people than what you might realize. Just take a look at a search that was run on the state's website for "Section 8" housing.  Here is a look at the available housing in Tucker, as defined by our single zip code, 30084:  Tucker as it exists today.  Easy to identify and the zip code and postal designation WILL NOT CHANGE, regardless of whether or not any new cities are approved in our area.  Tucker will still be called Tucker. Tucker's zip code has a few areas with Section 8 housing readily available, according to the state, but look what happens when the new city boundaries are included in the search (see below). Here is the new version of "big city" Tucker, as divided by its suggested city council areas.  Note:  the largest area in terms of voters and sheer land mass belongs to the real, ...

Published on Jul 9, 2015 The Scott Boulevard Baptist Church steeple and cupola put up a good fight in the final demolition stages of the mid-1950's era church north of Decatur Georgia 7/8/15. The demolition crew broke three cables, had to reposition the anchor points twice and in the end needed two backhoes linked together to pull down the stout steel reinforced structure. A Decaturish reader who provided the video wrote, "She dropped her hat, then knelt and fell. RIP Scott Boulevard Baptist Church.”   And this (see video) was done for a good reason, right?  Some call it "progress."  But, who said progress had to hurt?  This was the result of greedy developers who want yet another multi-use development.  And, it is thanks to leaders in our government who were willing to cave to their demands. Here are some suggested new slogans for DeKalb County's revamped government ... More people, fewer churches, less guilt.  There is no need for chur...

Jim Eyre, the first ever elected councilman for Brookhaven who later resigned and stepped down from his seat on the council, warns DeKalb County residents about what could lay ahead for them if they approve new cities.You can watch and listen to his speech,  already cued up for you,  here . Jim Eyre warns Tucker and Lavista Hills area residents about the short-shortsightedness of new cities. Here are the highlights of his speech: 1.  Yes, it is a new layer of bureaucracy stacked on top of the one we already have. 2.  There is no independent ethics board.  It is all handled through the city's attorney and the city council itself.  The potential offenders are the same ones overseeing the ethics. 3.  Confusing - who to call for various services.  It is another layer for everyone to hassle with.  It is intertwined with the county services and providers.  Are the services being provided in such a manner that adding this new layer...

 We've wondered why more people are not speaking up like Joe Bembry (below) about the new city proposals.  Do people outside the proposed city limits of Tucker or Lavista Hills understand the impact of what could happen if voters approve these new government structures?  If they do not, and they are worried about it, why aren't they trying to reach out to the voters here and ask that they consider remaining unincorporated so we can solve our problems together? When Tucker, Briarcliff and Lakeside proposals failed to pass the committee in 2014, we thought that was the end of this talk.  The city proposals should have died .. just like any other bill is supposed to fail when it cannot pass the committee it is in.  But somehow it came back.  Through no extra advocacy or effort that anyone is aware of, the state elected officials just decided suddenly, on their own, to take up the cause once again.  Did they not hear the same things we did?  Were t...

originally published in the Tucker Patch. When we first started our inquiry into the proposed city of Lakeside and its impact on our community of Tucker, we were leaning toward cityhood as a possible solution.  And, Tucker Civic quickly told us that it was not in the cards financially.  Fast forward to today and they are advocating as individuals (the groups has no official position) for cityhood even though we have taken on enormous areas not considered Tucker and lost significant portions of our commercial districts. And, here we are today being painted as the anti-city force.  We've never been anti-city.  We just want what is best for everyone and we are more and more doubtful that these particular types of cities will solve any problems. Here's a look back at how we first became involved: (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( LETTER TO TUCKER CIVIC ABOUT POTENTIAL FOR CITYHO...

In a post dated March 20, 2015, Tucker city advocates (unsigned) state the following: "Areas removed from the Tucker map include the entire Livsey voting precinct, Shadow Walk Lane, Pittsburg Plaza (QT shopping center), Tucker Square Shopping Center at Britt Road and Chamblee-Tucker, Briarglen Court, houses on Thornbriar Road in the Midvale Elementary voting precinct, and Scyler Way and Scyler Place." We're indicating those changes on the map below:  The map on the Tucker website is identified as the "Committee" drawn map and does not reflect the changes that were reportedly made by a last minute amendment by Sen. Fran Millar.  So, no one knows for sure what he asked to change and whether those changes were approved and written into both of the city bills which had already been through committees in the House and Senate. However, if you look at the map on the Lavista Hills website, it appears to NOT take in some of the areas that Tucker 2015 ment...

THE FOLLOWING ARE RESPONSES WE HAVE RECEIVED SO FAR TO OUR REQUEST FOR A FINAL, APPROVED MAP SHOWING THE BOUNDARIES OF BOTH TUCKER AND LAVISTA HILLS AS INTENDED FOR VOTERS TO APPROVE OR DENY IN A REFERENDUM VOTE THIS NOVEMBER 3, 2015 : ******************************************************************************** 5/25/15 Dear XXXX, Thanks for contacting me regarding access to the proposed City of Tucker map. Unfortunately, my office is not the custodian of the official map or the entity that wold be able to respond to your Open Records Request. Please contact the Georgia General Assembly's Office of Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment. Their telephone number is 404.656.5063. If you have any problems getting your request fulfilled please let me know. Best wishes! ~Billy BILLY MITCHELL State Representative State Capitol 18 Capitol Square Atlanta, GA 30334 404.656.0126 404.656.0250 (fax) billy.mitchell@house.ga.gov **************************...