Brookhaven/Ashford gets go-ahead from House to become a city

While lawmakers still can't decide if they should call the area Brookhaven or Ashford, House members approved a bill that would give residents in that area the right to vote on cityhood.

The bill, which must still get through the Senate, passed the House 101-57 Friday, even over the vocal opposition of members of the DeKalb County Legislative Delegation.

"This is an opportunity to take truly local govement services, municipal services, and have them controlled by people who live in the same community as we do," said the bill's sponsor, state Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-DeKalb.

But opponents said the city of Brookhaven/Ashford, which would be DeKalb's largest municipality, would cost county coffers $20 million in taxes. They want the people who live in unincorporated parts of the county to have a voice on the vote as well.

"We're going to see another property tax increase on the citizens of unincorporated DeKalb," said state Rep. Howard Mosby, D-DeKalb. "They do not have a voice in this vote."

If the bill passes the full legislature, people in the Brookhaven/Ashford area could vote on cityhood in July.