Neighbors Talking as Annexation Vote Nears

Updated 4:25 p.m. 

“This one really counts!” is the opening phrase in an anonymous letter distributed to residents in an area the City of Norcross has proposed for annexation. It seems that residents on both sides of the issue are feeling that way. 

“Higher property taxes! Higher traffic citation fees! Higher violation fees! Think about it. Why would you want to pay several hundred dollars more a year for something you are already getting?”  the letter closes, with a copy of the referendum and a map of the area attached. 

Residents in the area east of Buford Highway roughly along Mitchell Road will be voting on the annexation issue on Nov. 8 in a special election. The City estimates that between 3,000 and 3,600 people reside in the area and roughly 64 commercial parcels are located there. 

The City of Norcross has held multiple informational meetings for residents of the area, , and as a few of the benefits of paying additional tax dollars to be in the city. The first  and the second provided .

Springdale Estates resident Jerry Andrews made the letter available to Norcross Patch—and he is against the annexation. “We don’t want it,” he said. “Everybody that I’ve talked to doesn’t want it.”

He said that he won’t be getting better power or water services and that he doesn’t see the need for additional police coverage. “We’ve already got everything they are offering,” said Andrews, who is a retired homeowner.

Others, including Springdale Estates resident Dominic Perello, have said that they have trouble convincing the Gwinnett County Police Department that they are not currently in the City of Norcross, causing problems when crimes do happen.

Glenda Young, who lives in Station Circle, has been vocal in her support of the annexation in part because of police protection, saying to Norcross Patch in an earlier interview: "Where I live is just a no-man's land. It is on the fringes of Gwinnett County, but I don't see police officers."

But Andrews argues that the timing just isn’t right. With the economy in the state it is, he says that most people just can’t afford any extra taxes, period.  Especially those with fixed incomes.

“This extra cost would make it harder for a lot of people,” said one resident on a fixed income, saying that the cost of food, gas and medicine are skyrocketing, too, so she just can’t afford it—even if the cost is as little as $125 per year.

Another issue that residents have brought up as Election Day nears is the high number of renters in the area set aside for annexation. City officials say they have sent notices about the vote for annexation to registered voters and also to all residents in the area in a later mailing. 

“The property owners will raise the rents of the residents and some of the residents are strapped for finances already,” said Madeline Bicksler, a resident of the area who is against the annexation.

It is not possible to know the exact percentage of renters in the area, but the Gwinnett Village CID keeps numbers for a larger area that includes the neighborhoods on the annexation map. They say that CID is up to 75 percent rental property.

Editor's note: Norcross Patch mistaken wrote that only property owners could vote on the annexation. All registered voters in the area can vote on the issue.