Responses to Marietta Daily Journal Questionnaire (Submitted October 3, 2025)

Name: Patricia Auch

Occupation: Regulatory affairs for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company

Party: Non-Partisan

Age: 39

Residence: (Marietta, Mableton, etc.): Mableton District 4

Hometown: I grew up in Athens, Alabama

Family: spouse, children: My only family in Georgia is my husband. No children, just a little

flock of spoiled backyard chickens.

Education/military service: Double majors in Chemistry and Biology cum laude from Judson

College

Have you served in elected office before: Yes, I am seeking re-election to Mableton City Council District 4

Campaign website: www.patricia-auch.com

QUESTIONS:

1.) Why are you running for office?

I am seeking re-election to Mableton’s City Council because I want to continue my work

building a transparent, fiscally responsible city that puts our residents first.

When I first ran, it was to help lay a strong foundation for our new city and to ensure that my district had a voice at the table. Two years later, that is still my focus.

In my next term, I want to focus on smart development, cleaner streets, better walkability, responsible budgeting, community engagement, and initiatives that promote sustainability and beautification. I’ll continue to listen and stay engaged with the community, and support projects that make Mableton safer, greener, and a great place to live and do business.

2. How will you approach negotiations with Cobb County over public safety and transportation services to ensure that Mableton residents receive fair value without facing double taxation?

I had very little direct involvement with the negotiation for the one-year temporary agreement with the County, and I have yet to be invited to the discussion for the longer SDS agreement. The first time I was invited to witness any discussion with the county involving our Service Delivery Strategy was on April 14, 2025, at the Switzer Library. Even then, a large portion of the discussions that took place occurred privately where neither I nor any of the other Mableton city council members were allowed in the room to hear what was taking place. Only our city manager, mayor, the consultant the city hired to negotiate our SDS, and our city attorney were in the room with Cobb County’s attorney and their selected representatives. I was told this was so there wouldn’t be a quorum which would require the press to have access to the discussion under open meeting laws. I didn’t get much say on the first round of negotiations other than my vote in opposition on May 28, 2025, and again on May 30, 2025.

The County has not provided evidence that police services cost what they are claiming it costs, and if it does, why did they not submit that information when the feasibility study was being conducted? Why did they not tell citizens that incorporation would result in a price increase to their police services? Unless the County rolls back the millage rate to account for the services in the agreement, it’s not going to be a fair deal for Mableton residents.

3. Many residents are concerned about deteriorating properties, especially in areas with absentee apartment landlords who neglect maintenance and safety standards. What specific strategies would you support to strengthen code enforcement, hold property owners accountable, and improve living conditions in neglected parts of Mableton?

The City has already taken a first step to addressing these issues with the passage of “The Safe and Healthy Housing and Property Ordinance.” This ordinance established a framework to make it enforceable for our city to ensure all property and housing meets minimum standards for safety, sanitation, and structural integrity. Any property not constructed or maintained to the minimum standards or endangers public health and safety by being unsanitary or unsafe will be declared a public nuisance and is subject to actionable enforcement. The next step to implementing a strategy to address deteriorating properties will be the establishment of our Municipal Court, and then actively enforcing the ordinance.

4. Given the economic pressures on municipal budgets, how would you balance the need for

public services with the potential burden on taxpayers?

There is no question that there is economic pressure on the city’s municipal budget, but there is also no question that there is existing economic pressure on our residents. Inflation, rising property assessments that results in higher property taxes, rising healthcare costs, wages not rising at the same rate as the cost of living, and rising costs on housing, goods and groceries are all economic burdens Mableton citizens face every day. This has always been my concern, and it was the reason I campaigned against cityhood before Mableton incorporated. There has never been a city in the history of Cobb County that has paid less in taxes than unincorporated Cobb County. When the city agreed to the temporary service delivery strategy agreement with the County, they agreed to levy a new tax on our citizens in 2026 in order to pay for police services. How much of a tax increase will be implemented has yet to be determined and will be contingent on our upcoming long-term SDS negotiation. The only way for the city to keep municipal taxes as low as possible going forward is through careful and responsible spending. I will continue to weigh every decision, as I always have, by weighing the cost of what the city wants to spend, and how much of an impact that cost will have on our citizens.