Wednesday, June 13, 2012
© Copyright 2013
Rockdale Citizen
CONYERS -- The two Democratic candidates for chairman of the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners went head-to-head Tuesday night in a forum sponsored by the Rockdale-Newton County League of Women Voters at the Rockdale Auditorium in Olde Town.
The forum, which was open to candidates in contested races in the upcoming July 31 primary, allowed candidates a 1-minute introduction and a 2-minute closing. Each candidate was asked the same two questions, with 1 minute to answer each. Due to the number of candidates participating, questions from the audience were not allowed.
In addition to the chairman's race, candidates for sheriff, BOC Post 1, state House Districts 92, 90, 109, 113 and 114, and the Fourth Congressional District participated in the forum.
Each chairman candidate was asked to outline the greatest challenge facing Rockdale County and give their solution.
Incumbent Richard Oden didn't specify a challenge but pointed to efforts the county has made to improve the local economy and promote economic development, mentioning a decrease in unemployment since 2008 and the establishment of an opportunity zone where businesses that move into the zone are eligible for state tax credits for job creation. Oden said the county hopes to establish a technology corridor in the opportunity zone.
Brian Jenkins said that the upcoming referendum for a TSPLOST is the biggest challenge facing the community. The referendum is "asking Rockdale County to venture into a program for 10 years in which Rockdale County is going to spend $136.7 million and get back $98.2 million in return," Jenkins said. "In my view this is the biggest problem facing Rockdale County. There is absolutely no way as a leader that we should sit at a table and fight for less for Rockdale County."
Jenkins encouraged residents to vote against the TSPLOST.
Both candidates were also asked about the county's role in economic development.
Jenkins said developing infrastructure is key to promoting economic development, as well as examining antiquated county codes that stifle business.
Jenkins also said that pursuing federal grants may not be helpful to the county in the long run as it could be an indicator to potential businesses of a declining local economy.
"We cannot have people walking up and down (Highway) 138 with their pants down to their knees, with signs for dollar stores," Jenkins said. "When businesses come into a community, the first thing they look at is the amount of money (the community) gets from the federal government."
Jenkins said he would address infrastructure needs in his first year in office and then market Rockdale to business and industry.
Oden said improving transportation would be important to future economic development in Rockdale.
"No. 1, we have to move people," he said. "When you have people spending 45, 55 minutes on the interstate going to work -- that's a problem."
Oden said he supports the TSPLOST referendum as a way to relieve traffic congestion in the community and throughout the east metro, saying that the benefits far outweigh the expense.
Oden also said Rockdale is partnering with Georgia Piedmont Technical College to offer classes that will lead to a better-educated work force that will help to continue to decrease unemployment.
"We need to have a college in Rockdale County," he said.
In closing comments, Oden said Rockdale is a "much better place than it was 30 years ago," and asked voters to look at his record "department by department." He also reminded voters of the success of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program that rehabilitates houses in foreclosure and provides affordable housing options to residents.
Jenkins agreed that voters should look at his opponent's record, saying that reducing taxes and allowing residents to stay in their homes would have been a better option than the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
"When you increase taxes, you are talking about people who are now juggling as to whether they can pay for their medication, juggling whether they can keep a roof over their heads," Jenkins said.
Jenkins drew a contrast between himself and his opponents -- Oden and Republican candidate Jason Hill.
"I say that as a community we have three competing narratives," Jenkins said. "We have one candidate on the other side who says we need to take Rockdale back ... take if back from whom?
"We have another candidate who says he represents only 51 percent of the county."
In contrast, Jenkins said he is a coalition-builder and will work for all residents of the community.
"Even members of the Republican Party are supporting my campaign," he said.
More like this story
- T-SPLOST, county pay raises top topics for Rockdale BOC candidates ( July 25, 2012 )
- Rebuild, reunite and re-energize ( January 26, 2012 )
- Oden renamed as economic, transportation policy chair for ACCG ( May 7, 2012 )
- Oden uses State of the County speech to emphasize economic development efforts ( January 27, 2012 )
- Candidate Q&A ( July 21, 2012 )
Comments
INJUSTICE_FOR_ALL 11 months, 1 week ago
Oden said ROCKDALE is a much better place now, HE MUST BE HIGH ON CRACK>>>>>>>
Elmo 11 months, 1 week ago
Bush's fault...
Elmo 11 months, 1 week ago
Didn't we recently hear, "The private sector is just fine!". Only the players Change, the mantra is just the same, lie, obfuscate, mislead, con, and double-down on corruption.
Elmo 11 months, 1 week ago
"Oden said improving transportation would be important to future economic development in Rockdale". Can you say, MARTA?
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
Yes, I can, and hopefully once MARTA builds out to Stonecrest, we'll get them to extend the rail 1.8 miles east over the county line into Rockdale!
ydebo 11 months, 1 week ago
Or you can drive that 1.8 miles and catch it there. NO MARTA in Rockdale.
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
Why not? In all my time supporting MARTA here in the Rockdale Citizen, no one has provided a valid reason why MARTA rail shouldn't reach Rockdale County. The only reasons I've seen, I've easily, and quickly refuted so it seems that the only reason people do not want MARTA is because they don't want it, which frankly, isn't sufficient.
VPublicola 11 months, 1 week ago
Well, Clark, the General Assembly has made this purely a political decision that will be reflected through the will of electorate. As such, like it or not, they don't have to have any reason or opinion that satisfies you or is 'sufficient' in any individual's opinion. If they simply don't want it then they don't want it. And, certainly you don't believe that even the decisions made by the General Assembly are purely data driven, valid, or even logical. They simply just empowered the voters on this one and did so when voter trust of politicians is not exactly glowing. Not too mention, it's not exactly little $25 and $50 dollar donations being made by voters that is funding the political ad campaign for this TSPLOST vote.
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
First let me say that while I disagree with your points, I thank you for a well-reasoned counter-point to me. Now, if you will allow me to rebuttal, using a SPLOST for any reason I believe is required by law to be decided by a referendum rather than simply in an Assembly session. It's not about being sufficient in anyone's opinion, it's about people voting with all the facts rather than just spewing the same tired rhetoric. A person who looks at the cost, then the benefit to them, then the benefit to the community, then still decides to be against the measure has made a decision based on facts, and I respect them for that. In fact, I know several people where the extra cost in sales tax will present an undue burden for them vs. the potential benefit for them and voting no to the T-SPLOST does indeed make sense for them. But people who look at the traffic, then look at the downhill spiral this community is already on, and still choose to vote no "just because" anger me to no end. They choose ignorance and refuse taking a risk that the community will improve because they refuse to allow themselves to be educated.
VPublicola 11 months, 1 week ago
No problem Clark. Actually, the General Assembly could have propsoed and adopted a similar transportation plan without going the T-SPLOST route. Anyhow, it is irrelevant at this point.
While the decision process employed by some may anger you to no end; their decision is their's for whatever reason they so choose regardless. The same point I made above in a different presentation. I appreciate your expressing your feelings and opinions on what entails an informed voter. But the expectations you set may forever lend you to repetitive disappointment. Within the political world there is a saying, "the masses are asses" and this is a premise for the many television ads, push cards, etc. Large campaigns first survey the public to find out what "interests" them (basically, asking them what they want to hear in a covert manner) and then turn around and tell the voters what they said they wanted to hear. Another perspective is that well informed and intelligent voters are at the will of the lowest common denominator.
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
That 1.8 miles would take about 20 minutes. The point of transit is to reduce drive time, not increase it. Bring MARTA rail to Rockdale!
Frustrated 11 months, 1 week ago
Clark if youre so up on MARTA why don tyou move to Dekalb COunty so you can have easy access to it...and all the other ills it might bring
heresyafacts 11 months, 1 week ago
He's here because the cost of living in Rockdale is lower - something that would change if MARTA moves in and taxes are raised.
Clark 11 months ago
No, actually we're here because the cost of living is higher. Places where the cost of living is lower is where the crime will be, and there will be less services available to the public. MARTA moving in and raising the cost of living will effectively force the undesirables out.
szbrown 11 months, 1 week ago
If Oden had been a resident of Rockdale County 30 years ago, he would know for a fact that Rockdale is NOT a better place now than 30 years ago. I'd gladly trade our Walmart and Target for Gailey's Shoes and Beasley Drugs!
judgedredd 11 months, 1 week ago
Commish, you could never be more wrong. Rockdale County is not better today than 30 years ago. Easily, it's not even close to being as nice as it was in the early 90's when my family first moved here. This county lacks a strong leader that will stand up for the citizens and treat the employees that protect and rescue us on a daily basis correctly or fairly. Hopefully someone will be able to repair all of the 'Oden Years' and give us citizens and it's employees a brighter outlook on its future!
ctownslimm 11 months, 1 week ago
Is anyone working on ways to reduce property taxes? That's a novel idea. I am ready to see some new ideas besides the same old stupid stuff. Oden's field is transportation and he needs to stick to that. Board of commissioners is not where he belongs and he has hurt this county because he went after and got voted into a job he is unqualified for.
Frustrated 11 months, 1 week ago
is Oden getting ready to interview for a new job? Look at his past record department by department and what you will see is someone that came into office and started cutting people that had held positions for years under the guise of "downsizing government" but then hiring his friends in the same position at a higher rate of pay. Or look at how many management positions have been "reclassified" while not doing anything to improve the employees that actually do the work. Oden must not have been living here 30 years ago or he would know we are NOT in better shape now.
INJUSTICE_FOR_ALL 11 months, 1 week ago
VOTE VOTE VOTE
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
"Jenkins said developing infrastructure is key to promoting economic development..." and yet he's opposed to T-SPLOST? How exactly does he plan to develop this infrastructure with no money, when the T-SPLOST offers a way to get a headstart on congestion mitigation projects in this county?
wayne 11 months, 1 week ago
You're right. There will never be another DOT or county project let. We are doomed. I may move to Dunwoody or Sandy Springs so I can enjoy life more.
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
Yep, just like all the other anti-T-SPLOST people, you also fail to provide a valid argument instead resorting to sarcasm and hyperbole instead of presenting valid reasons to not support the T-SPLOST.
Frustrated 11 months, 1 week ago
hey Wayne here's an idea..take Clark with you and you can ride MARTA together.
wayne 11 months, 1 week ago
I've been checking & I decided to move to the West End Station. Lee Street is so beautiful on a nice spring day.
ClaytonBigsby 11 months, 1 week ago
News flash: GDOT spending last year on construction was about the same as in 1988, and that's with no inflation adjustment. I'm as conservative as they come, but there has got to be more spending on transportation (roads) if the state is going to have any kind of future. If the T-SPLOST fails in this region, we better pray that rural legislators will vote in a motor fuel tax increase (which is long overdue anyway, but that's another story).
INJUSTICE_FOR_ALL 11 months, 1 week ago
NEWS FLASH: SPEND WISELY stop buying Tsplot signs wasting money
Frustrated 11 months, 1 week ago
you cant always believe the old saying "if you build it they will come". That mostly works in the movies.
heresyafacts 11 months, 1 week ago
I'd vote H E Holmes. Housing prices are at a premium out there, what with all the white collar workers wanting close to the station, but you do get the amenities of Greenbriar Mall which has connecting bus service.
BrentLuNae 11 months, 1 week ago
Listen up, people. We DO NOT need Marta coming here! Marta spells crime. NO MARTA!!! PLEASE!!! We do not want Rockdale to mirror DeKalb and Fulton. Think about this when you are at the polls.
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
MARTA rail does not bring crime! Please stop telling untruths just because you'd rather sit choking on exhaust fumes for hours on end than blasting past traffic on a nice, fast train!
INJUSTICE_FOR_ALL 11 months, 1 week ago
clark. MARTA brings crime. look at DEKALB,FULTON, WE HAVE ENOUGH NOW. If you want MARTA move back to dekalb.
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
Dekalb and Fulton have crime in parts of the counties where MARTA doesn't even run. If you are going to look at Dekalb and Fulton, you should look at Dunwoody and Sandy Springs, MARTA rail was extended there, and those areas have prospered.
Sundance 11 months, 1 week ago
What about Lithonia. Marta ruined that town. It used to be cool until the buses started bringing in all those renters.
Clark 11 months, 1 week ago
Are you sure it's MARTA's reach that caused Lithonia's downfall? Let's see, It started in Atlanta, moved toward Stone Mountain, then Lithonia went downhill, and now Conyers...hrm, might it simply be that communities closer in to Atlanta have begun a renewal thus pushing the lower-income people out of Atlanta and our direction? Not only that, but what I'm advocating for Rockdale is not MARTA buses roaming the streets, rather the extension of a MARTA rail line into the county. There's a substantial difference in the type of people that ride buses vs. the type of people that ride rail. When being used to reach into the suburbs, buses are much slower than driving or rail, and won't be used except by people who just don't have any alternative transportation (which is usually lower-income people where crime is statistically likely to be higher). But even in cities where rail routes, have replaced bus routes with the same frequency, on the same route (though usually higher speed), the type of people riding has not only changed, but the numbers of people using the route have increased.
heresyafacts 11 months, 1 week ago
How are you going to have rail and not buses? If MARTA is allowed into Rockdale, it will be buses first, because extension of a rail line is costly and takes years to plan and build, and because, as you've pointed out, there are already low-income areas in Rockdale. The first thing MARTA would do would be to loop bus service from Stonecrest to West Avenue and 138 with possible extension to Salem. If they put a station in at Stonecrest, it's unlikely there will be a station in Rockdale -- instead, they will look to push into Newton.
DanTurner 11 months, 1 week ago
A study was prepared in 2003 for the Southern Economic Journal:
http://www.newtownline.pa-tec.org/documents/TrainStationsCrime.pdf
The high side of the report is the answer to crime via MARTA is based on many factors. To highlight one over-ridden theme in this work is that MARTA Stations built in low income areas; high density (apartments) low value or urban density single family of older, less expensive homes....crime does increase. In the upper income areas; higher rental or mortgage payment ranges there is less opportunityand diminished crime per the same numbers of residents of the two income ranges.
The low side of the report deals with the mindset....which to the naysayer's benefit is partially true and partially not so true. Posing crime as the sole reason for MARTA moving anywhere is pretty much a superficial motive....and as the author relates and opines based on a study by Baylor, that much of the concern is racially motivated. (Chapter 7/pg 291) and goes as far as to call it bigotry. Not to be confused as a bigot, I do not support MARTA in Rockdale nor the T-Splost vote coming up; as pointed out in today's article in the AJC, the local county and municipalities can change their list of projects (if they have one) without notice. MARTA in Conyers without applying the criteria of the Southern Economics Journal article could lead to the problem side of the analysis...unless a LOT of forethought is put forward into locating a station, rails lines and supporting pre-requisites.
The obvious examples might be the stations on the west side of Atlanta plugged into those areas....but also the crime statistics within a few miles of the Perimeter Mall station and it's effect to the Sandy Springs community. Great station...but the ripple effect is there in the crime stats.
It's not been studied deeply enough for Rockdale County and I choose not to vote for throwing money in this direction that eventually winds up at the discretion of elected officials per the way the T-Splost enacment has been engineered. Carve it in stone after a panel of qualified citizens have had their chance to pursue the task...then talk to me.
I'm not sold...nor willing to buy a bill of goods in this era of smoke/mirrors politics.
wayne 11 months ago
Clark can call me a racist or ignorant, but I'll just agree wih you. It is, after all, my perogative to vote for whomever or whatever pleases me and TSPLOST doesn't please me.
doowee 11 months ago
I think Oden should share some of what he's been smokin! At the very least his friends that he's hired should speak up and correct him as a "friend". When I moved here in 1994 the crime blotter had 4 names max, now it takes a full page at times and is full of unique names, go figure. Can hardly wait to see that increase when Marta can bring more of the misfits here cheaper!
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