A Gwinnett County man has taken legal action in an attempt to prevent the formation of a new city called Mulberry in Gwinnett County. Despite voters already casting their votes on the proposal, the man has filed a lawsuit to challenge the creation of the city.
Stephen Hughes, a resident within the boundaries of the proposed city, expressed his concerns, stating, “I believe they’re being misled.” He emphasized the importance of allowing the voters to make a decision, but stressed the need for the decision to be based on a constitutional charter.
Supporters of the city are making a promise to the residents: no city taxes will be imposed. They are also advocating for a more effective approach to local control of planning and zoning decisions in the northeastern Gwinnett County region. However, opponents of the city have expressed their concerns, fearing that city taxes might be introduced at a later stage.
Hughes revealed to Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson that he was always skeptical about the promises of no new taxes.
Hughes expressed his opposition to the idea of introducing additional government layers and increasing taxes without any noticeable benefits.
According to a lawsuit, the Georgia Supreme Court decision in Peacock v. Georgia Municipal Association highlights the argument that while the legislature has the authority to regulate the taxation powers of all cities, it cannot target individual cities.
According to Hughes, the inclusion of city property taxes in the city charter is believed to be an inevitable amendment.
According to Hughes, if more people were aware of and truly understood this information, it is likely that many would choose not to vote in favor of the referendum.
