What stands between four Cobb Communities and Cityhood…LISA CUPID
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Citizens of Cobb who desire to have their unincorporated communities become a city are in for a rude awakening in 2022 if Cobb Chair Lisa Cupid has anything to say about it. Instead of Christmas tidings from Cupid, she has summoned her cronies at the Capitol to block the efforts of these communities in pursuing Cityhood.
Since Cupid became chair in 2021, several communities across Cobb have sought Cityhood in an interest to govern themselves. Political watchers say that these communities are seeking to exist being governed under the county because of Cupid and her poor management of county business. Others say they desire something else for their community and are entitled to self-rule. Whatever the reason is for seeking Cityhood, they should know that they do not have a friend in Cupid or her minions.
He was formerly for Cityhood before he was against Cityhood is what some are saying about Erick Allen, a Democrat from Smyrna. Allen recently waded into the deep end of the pond when he announced that he will not support any of the four movements to create new cities in Cobb County. Given that Allen is a candidate for lieutenant governor, some say it is insanity for him to take such an extreme position. They predict that Allen’s actions will come back to haunt him in the Primary in 2022 by the very citizens that reside in these communities he is attempting to block on behalf of Cupid.
Allen, who chairs the 21-member Cobb Legislative Delegation, says he plans to lobby his fellow legislators to table the proposals. With the Democrats not in power at the Gold Dome, his efforts will be futile. Some say that as cities across the metro seek Cityhood, what would be the justification of Allen and other legislators to grant Cityhood for some and not others.
In addition, Bills have already been passed in the General Assembly which would put referenda on cityhood before people living within the boundaries of the proposed cities and out of reach of Allen’s manipulation. Some in the community attribute Allen’s change of mind and any effort to block forward progress of these communities to Cupid. They claim Cupid does not want the communities to branch off and form their own cities because it will dilute her control over Cobb County. Instead of finding ways to help communities achieve self-governance, Cupid and her cronies are trying to stop it dead in its tracks and are trying to hold these communities’ hostage.
Allen even admitted that he wanted to know how the proposed cities — East Cobb, Lost Mountain, Mableton, and Vinings — will account for their effect on the county government. This is not a prerequisite for Cityhood, so why is Allen inserting this roadblock?
Allen went as far as to say he plans to introduce legislation making a study of the impact to the county a legal requirement. Some say this is a foolish act which is dead on arrival because the Republicans hold the majority in the Georgia House and Senate. Allen even floated the idea of making cityhood referenda countywide, rather than limited to prospective borders. Cobb citizens point to Cupid having her fingerprints all over this issue and not for the betterment of the community but to feed her fixation with power. After he said it, Allen realized the futility of that idea and conceded that it “would never pass or go anywhere.”
Planning and zoning, code enforcement, and parks are among the prospective services for the four cities – Lost Mountain, Mableton, and Vinings. What is concerning is that Allen initially co-sponsored the bill for the city of Vinings, saying residents deserved a chance to see where exploring the idea would take them.
A different member of the Cobb Delegation is siding with Cobb communities. State Rep. Matt Dollar, R-east Cobb said, “I’m supportive of all four efforts. I believe that if the people of Marietta, Acworth, Powder Springs, and Smyrna — if they have the right to self-governance, local control of zoning and things of that nature, the residents of east Cobb, Mableton, Lost Mountain, and Vinings should as well.”