Druid Hills annexation into Atlanta debated
Interim DeKalb County CEO Lee May said Friday that efforts to annex the Druid Hills neighborhood into Atlanta should be delayed.
But Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, said residents deserve an opportunity to vote on whether they want to merge with Atlanta or remain in unincorporated DeKalb.
House Bill 586 is pending in the state House of Representatives after it was introduced earlier this week.
May said the annexation would disrupt DeKalb and Atlanta school systems, and residents could face tax increases. He also said the annexation area conflicts with the borders of the proposed city of LaVista Hills.
“The Druid Hills community will be impacted by an increase in taxes and fees as a result of this unlawful annexation,” May said in a statement. “We do not know by how much, and that is a problem.”
Oliver said residents should be given a chance to weigh in on government decisions affecting their communities.
“If passed and signed by the Governor, all citizens of the proposed annexed area in unincorporated DeKalb can engage in the democratic process through public conversation, asking questions about schools, taxes and services, and decide how they wish to vote,” Oliver said.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
