Was Auburn 'used' by developer? Controversial transit program in town used to boost another project near Winder

Did Auburn officials get “used” by a large developer for a project that has nothing to do with the town? That’s the obvious question this week after city officials learned that TBG developers had used the town’s controversial transit system to help one of its development projects near Barrow Crossings to potentially get state tax credits. Auburn leaders had been under the impression that the town’s ANT system was designed just to help TBG get a tax credit for a proposed apartment construction project in Auburn.
Auburn city planner Larry Lucas was surprised Monday to learn from a Journal reporter that TBG had not only used the town’s money-losing transit system in a bid to score tax credits for Auburn Hills, a proposed group of apartments off Mount Moriah Road in Auburn, but that TBG had also used the transit system to get points for its Farmington Hills, Phase II project near Winder.
“They did not share that with us or include that as part of their discussions that the (Farmington Hills) Phase II would also include the ANT in their scoring," he said.
In addition, in a self-scoring process required of all developers submitting a tax credits proposal, TBG scored its Farming Hills project at Barrow Crossings two points higher than its proposed Auburn project. In effect, TBG has two projects in Barrow County competing for the tax credits and rated its Winder project higher. Both projects are proposed as family developments of the same size, 72 units. TBG is also asking for roughly the same tax credit allocation for each of its developments, at $805,000.
For the full story, see the Nov. 21 issue of the Barrow Journal.

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#1 say what? on 11/21/12 at 09:35 PM [Reply]

So is WInder going to step up and help foot the bill??

#1.1 You need to read on 11/22/12 at 01:29 PM [Reply]

Say what, you need to read the article better. The article clearly says two different times "near Winder" nowhere in the article does it indicate that the City of Winder had anything to do with this.

#1.1.1 really? on 11/22/12 at 07:16 PM [Reply]

but the City of Auburn is "paying" for the transit to get the tax credits, if Winder or "near" Winder gets the apartments, then will Winder or 'near" Winder pay for the transit??
For those that need an explanation, I am asking is the municipality that other than AUburn going to pay for the transit since they are looking to get tax credits from it...It should not be allowed as a tax credit if it is not THEIR transit system....

#1.1.1.1 Dumb Question on 11/23/12 at 12:31 PM [Reply]

I truly understand the term "there are no dumb questions only dumb people". Where do you read that anyone other than the developer was getting anything. The City of Auburn had the great idea of having the public transit, if anyone should pay for that mistake it should be The City of Auburn.

#1.1.1.1.1 say huh? on 11/24/12 at 02:20 PM [Reply]

but the City of Auburn implemented the Transit to get the tax credits for the apartments. If someone else is using the transit for the same thing they should help with the transit expenses...its not rocket science, it cheating the system.

#1.1.1.1.1.1 wise up on 11/28/12 at 09:02 AM [Reply]

I believe the developer saw Auburn as an easy target to be gullible enough fall for this. It shouldn't matter who may benefit from it. The developer was right. The mayor and some of the others fell for it. It's just like Washington spending money on very questionable projects for which they don't have money.
Hopefully Winder would have had better sense to be sucked into such a scheme.

#2 how about on 11/24/12 at 06:46 PM [Reply]

we sop giving taxpayer monie away, sto[ taking so much taxpayer monies and stop growing govt programs that benifit third parties including both corperate and private welfare...

#2.1 say huh? on 11/25/12 at 12:37 PM [Reply]

I agree, stop all govt spending...stop trying to help those who would like to move out of the trailer park, stop offering police service and just let the drug dealers run wild. When asked why we dont have a new restaurant or work for the unemployed, Auburn can just say we stopped...then in 10 yrs we will become Winder, just like the City of Carl....then it will be their problem....

#3 one doesnt need help on 11/25/12 at 08:18 PM [Reply]

to decide they dont want to live in bad area, every day people make a choice to change where they live, accept where they live or move to place where they will do better, both local and worldwide people make this choice. most times without Govt help.
in fct Govt help seems to stop people from bettering themself for fear of losing the Govt help......

#4 What's unbelievable to me.. on 11/26/12 at 03:13 PM [Reply]

Is how a whole panel of paid City of Auburn employees did not "catch" that they were possibly being "used". With the combine intelligence and education of the Mayor, City Planner, and the Planning and Zoning Board you would think that they would have done some follow up into the list of competetion for the same money. Talk about counting your chicks before they are hatched, they spent tons of tax payer money on a failed transit system with hopes of getting money that they were THIRD in line for.

#5 Reality on 11/27/12 at 08:25 AM [Reply]

I hate it when I'm right. I told you all that the ANT would be a money pit. Second, why shouldn't they be allowed to use the transit system for other projects outside of Auburn. The ANT does run out to Barrow Crossing, so any project along that route is eligible to use the system for its benefit.

#5.1 common sense on 11/28/12 at 09:16 AM [Reply]

Me too. I questioned all the projections and expenses and it never made sense. Greed can cause foolish decisions. If for some reason the developer gets the credits there should be an investigation of who fell for their scheme.

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Was Auburn 'used' by developer? Controversial transit program in town used ...

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Was Auburn 'used' by developer? Controversial transit program in town used to boost another project near Winder

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