Leaders from three Southside cities gathered Friday to mark a bill that will let them ask residents for a penny sales tax to fix water and sewer infrastructure.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed HB 160 earlier this week, allowing the cities — College Park, East Point and Hapeville — to add a ballot referendum seeking voter approval of the one-cent sales tax.
City leaders expect the tax to raise tens of millions of dollars over five years to keep up with repairs made by the City of Atlanta, which provides the trio with their water.
College Park’s head of infrastructure told the assembled crowd Friday at East Point City Hall that some of his city’s pipes are 71 years old.
But at one point, it was unclear that Kemp would sign the bill.
Seven members of the state legislature who represent Fulton County signed a May 3 letter imploring Kemp to sign the bill, which had broad bipartisan support in both chambers.
The legislators warned they wanted “to avoid a national news story similar to what we’ve seen in Flint, Michigan, especially in light of the proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and the hotels and other attractions.”
They detailed the risk: College Park alone has 5,400 hotel beds — and East Point water goes around the world because it is frozen by Ready Ice, which supplies ice to Delta flights departing Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham said Friday it’s beyond them now.
“We will leave the decision to the voters,” she said.
Credit: WSBTV Videos
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