CBS Atlanta 46Brookhaven/Ashford takes a step closer to cityhood

Brookhaven/Ashford takes a step closer to cityhood

Georgia House lawmakers approved a bill that would allow residents in a north DeKalb County community to vote on whether or not they want to create a new city.

Supporters originally called the proposed city Brookhaven, but they later changed the name to Ashford. Regardless of what it is called, if it becomes a city it would be the 16th largest in the state and the biggest in DeKalb County.

Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Atlanta, the primary backer of the plan, said his bill draws the DeKalb community one step closer to self determination. "This is an opportunity to take truly local services and have them controlled by the by the same community we do," Jacobs said.

Opponents, however, criticized the bill, saying it would drain tens of millions of tax dollars out of the county.

"It's taking a large commercial tax base out that will affect the bottom line for DeKalb," said Rep. Michele Henson, D-Stone Mountain, who also complained the bill would create an environment that would pit cities against each other for services. "It'll have people live in small cities, all fighting for their city instead of looking at the bigger picture of the county they live in," Henson said.

Henson also criticized Jacobs for ignoring DeKalb's delegation of lawmakers, leaving them out of the decision making. The DeKalb lawmakers are mostly Democrats. Jacobs is a Republican. "It should have gone to the local delegation. It did not go to the local delegation. It bypassed the local delegation," Henson said.

Jacobs insisted he and other Republicans followed the rules. "We followed the process to the letter," Jacobs said.

He admitted the new city would draw $25 million in taxes from DeKalb, but he argued that could actually help the county. "DeKalb County will not have to provide those services to 50,000 citizens. They don't have to provide services to as many citizens as they did prior to incorporation," Jacobs said.

The bill goes onto the Senate. If it passes there, residents would get to vote in July on whether or not to create a new city.

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