Cupid: We need to pay employees more for the Cobb we want
Jul. 2—EAST COBB — Making the case for county employee raises at a town hall Thursday, Cobb Chairwoman Lisa Cupid connected the issue with another: many of those people cannot afford to live in the county for which they work.
More than 50 people came to hear Cupid and other county department leaders at the Tim Lee Senior Center, where the chairwoman, after unveiling the county's 2023 budget Tuesday, focused on better compensating county employees.
"We expect our roads to be paved, we expect storm water issues to be addressed, we expect the lights to be on, we expect our buildings to be maintained," Cupid said. "All of these things require funding, and guess what my biggest concern is? It takes people to do all of those things, and in Cobb County, we have departments that are running 30 and 40% below their regular staffing level right now."
Affordable housing was a big topic of discussion. One resident said she wanted to see an end to new apartments being built. When asked by Cupid who else wanted no more new apartments, almost every hand in the audience shot up.
Cupid responded by explaining that most of the county's workforce is not from Cobb, while most Cobb residents work outside of the county.
"Where should they live?" Cupid asked about those coming from other counties. "I told you we have people here working in the county who make less than $10 an hour. Where should they commute from?"
Cupid continued pressing her own constituents with questions about how the commission could stop development projects like new apartments and roads.
"How can I do both? How can I have less people coming in, and still provide the same level of service, the same businesses that help create the quality of life that we all expect in Cobb?" Cupid asked.
During the same discussion, the chairwoman noted that Cobb benefits from Atlanta and other areas outside of Cobb that make up the metro area.
"We draw our strength as a county because of what goes on in the capital of this state," said Cupid. "It's easy to say, 'We don't want this, we don't want apartments for people to live.'"
Cupid told the audience she has difficulty accepting the idea that people who work in Cobb should not have access to affordable housing in the county.
"It's one thing to talk about the issue, but if you can help me solve it, help me," Cupid told the audience.
To address concerns about county employee pay, Cupid has proposed a $17 minimum wage in the newest budget along with merit raises boosting employees' salaries by an average 3.5%. In early June, the board also approved $1.6 million for county departments that managers have said are stretched thin by frontline staff vacancies ranging from 20% to 40%.
According to the county's website, Cupid's next town hall is scheduled for Tuesday, July 12 at the South Cobb Community Center at 620 Lions Club Drive in Mableton.
