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Looks like African American leadership is not going to put up with the creation of majority white communities like Brookhaven.
Quote:
A federal judge is considering whether to grant an injunction sought by the Rev. Joseph Lowery and the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus in a lawsuit that claims the new city of Brookhaven infringes on minority voting rights.
The injunction asks that Brookhaven be prevented from continuing to incorporate, or that all DeKalb County voters be allowed to participate in the city’s upcoming elections on Nov. 6.
U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell Jr. took the matter under advisement following a telephone conference Thursday. He denied a motion for a hearing and ordered pleadings due by the end of this week.
The motion for preliminary injunction said that the creation of majority-white cities such as Brookhaven dilutes the voting power of black citizens.
Each of the six new cities in DeKalb and Fulton counties incorporated since 2005 have put high-income residents into majority white municipalities where they could elect white leaders, despite living in majority black counties, according to the motion. The new jurisdictions—called municipal voting districts–weaken the political strength of black voters, the motion said.
“Not only do these MVDs serve no meaningful state purpose, but all share two disturbing, and non-random characteristics—the majority of the voting age person in each MVD is white, the overwhelming majority of the elected and appointed leadership in each MVD is white, and each MVD possesses a significantly higher median household income compared to the originating county,” according to the motion.
It would probably have been more easier if the inequitable funding issue was argued. After all, every commercial base that was carved away from Dekalb County to join the new cities was invested in by ALL Dekalb citizens.
A funding formula should have been designed that allowed Dekalb county to still collect money from the commercial districts that they invested in. Many states in this country have the common sense to do it this way when a new city comes into existence. Florida is one of them.
Why our washed-up hillbilly of a state won't do things that way, I will never understand.
It would probably have been more easier if the inequitable funding issue was argued. After all, every commercial base that was carved away from Dekalb County to join the new cities was invested in by ALL Dekalb citizens.
A funding formula should have been designed that allowed Dekalb county to still collect money from the commercial districts that they invested in. Many states in this country have the common sense to do it this way when a new city comes into existence. Florida is one of them.
Why our washed-up hillbilly of a state won't do things that way, I will never understand.
I felt that way with Peachtree Corners in Gwinnett.
It was a new city promising cheap taxes and few services, but they saved for them very valuable non-voting commercial and industrial properties.
The problem with the argument Rev. Joseph Lowery is making is that each of the minority residents in Brookhaven (and Sandy Springs and the other new municipalities) still votes for the County Commissioner who will represent them in their respective county. Therefore, it is hard to see how they can make a case that minority voting strength is being diluted. Also, every resident of Brookhaven, minority or white, is still zoned for DeKalb County Schools.
The real issue is that Rev. Lowery (and the plaintiffs in this suit) are furious that a group of affluent whites are choosing to take themselves out of the control of the DeKalb County Commission when it comes to issues of taxation, and to a lesser extent, zoning. In their view, Brookhaven is creating a "mini-apartheid" in which a small group of whites is choosing to "self segregate" from the larger DeKalb county government which has a strong black majority.
This story was played out over a 40 year period with the creation of the City of Sandy Springs. The origins for the creation of Sandy Springs as a separate municipality began in the early 1960's when Atlanta's Mayor William Hartsfield (of the Airport fame) attempted to annex the unincorporated area of Sandy Springs with the express purpose of trying to keep a white majority in the City of Atlanta. However, the residents of the Sandy Springs recognized the significant white flight which was taking place in Atlanta and strongly voted down the effort. After this event, Eva Gallambos (the current mayor)and others began their efforts to make Sandy Springs its own municipality. Every few years they would present a bill in the State Legislature to form a city, but it was struck down because the black legislators in the Fulton County delegation were adamantly opposed to it as the City of Atlanta did not want ot gtive up the sales tax revenue it received based on the formula set up by Fulton County. Journalist Maria Sapport has said the worst day in Atlanta's history is when the City of Atlanta's attorney chose not to file papers to forcefully annex Sandy Springs - for a short period they had that option.
This whole situation changed when Republicans gained a majority in the State Legislature in the early 2000's and they changed GA Law and set up a mechanism to form new municipalities. As a result, we now have the Cities of Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Milton and Johns Creek. Sandy Springs became a city with 94% of the residents voting for incorporation.
The legal problem that the palintiffs in this lawsuit against the City of Brookhaven have is how can the City of Dunwoody exist, yet Brookhaven can not. Likewise, by the same token, how can the City of Decatur exist with a strong white majority in the middle of a county with a strong black majority? Is Decatur racist for having a separate public school system (which is majority white) from the majority black DeKalb system?
Given the facts about the other DeKalb municipalities I have given, it is amazing that this case has gotten this far. It sounds like Lowrey (and others) are angry and want to get back at the citizens of Brookhaven. Lawsuits like this further the image that in Metro Atlanta, everything eventually gets back to issues of race.
Excellent post above, David. The history of Atlanta and Sandy Springs needs to be understood to understand what is happening today.
My constant beef (expressed several time on various threads on this site) is why Georgia counties are in the business of supplying municipal services. This extra layer of government is silly IMHO. When an area goes from rural to needing municipal services, the county should not be providing these services, these areas should have been cities LONG ago, either annexed into existing cities nearby or incorporated as new cities.
Look at a map of Dallas/Fort Worth compared to Atlanta. It is like a big patchwork quilt, no unincorporated areas until you go several miles outside of the centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. The counties here do not get into the municipal business, don't do water, sewer, trash, sidewalks, police, etc, etc. When an area needs those services, it is either incorporated as a city or annexed into an existing city.
Why did Georgia counties get into the municipal services business in the first place? It worked to a point I guess, but once they become too big, it is unwieldy and not responsive to local needs. First Fulton realized this, now DeKalb and even parts of Gwinnett. I predict other areas will follow suit.
Excellent post above, David. The history of Atlanta and Sandy Springs needs to be understood to understand what is happening today.
My constant beef (expressed several time on various threads on this site) is why Georgia counties are in the business of supplying municipal services. This extra layer of government is silly IMHO. When an area goes from rural to needing municipal services, the county should not be providing these services, these areas should have been cities LONG ago, either annexed into existing cities nearby or incorporated as new cities.
It is an interesting question and point... and perhaps it should be looked at with different services offered too.
In Gwinnett... Seeing the county grow as much as it has... I have been very impressed with the growth of the sewage system county wide. Specifically, it is a single system for such a large area/population they have a large economies of scale to operate more efficiently, than is smaller local governments controlled the service.
But I will say... I was equally impressed with how the very small city of Lilburn and even Suwannee could get a sizable greenway built, yet the much larger county with far bigger resources doesn't can't in similar areas or scale.
But when it comes to parks... I think there has been a benefit where Gwinnett could buy large parcels of land pre-development for larger parks. If we had smaller cities everywhere, many of the cities in growing areas wouldn't have the resources to do that starting off.
It is an interesting question and point... and perhaps it should be looked at with different services offered too.
In Gwinnett... Seeing the county grow as much as it has... I have been very impressed with the growth of the sewage system county wide. Specifically, it is a single system for such a large area/population they have a large economies of scale to operate more efficiently, than is smaller local governments controlled the service.
But I will say... I was equally impressed with how the very small city of Lilburn and even Suwannee could get a sizable greenway built, yet the much larger county with far bigger resources doesn't can't in similar areas or scale.
But when it comes to parks... I think there has been a benefit where Gwinnett could buy large parcels of land pre-development for larger parks. If we had smaller cities everywhere, many of the cities in growing areas wouldn't have the resources to do that starting off.
alot of pros and cons to balance.
Of course here in DFW you aren't talking about suburbs the size of Suwanee or Lilburn. You have Alington with a population over 300,000, Plano, Irving, Garland over 200k and at least 8 more (going off the top of my head) that have surpassed the 100k mark. None of Atlanta's suburbs, even the new ones are over 100k.
Gwinnett and Cobb are better run currently than Fulton and DeKalb, but DeKalb was a model suburb just a couple of decades ago. It is falling apart now. I can't trust that Gwinnett and Cobb won't go the way of Dekalb and Clayton. Counties are just too big and dysfunctional over a more concentrated city in the long term, again my opinion.
It is an interesting question and point... and perhaps it should be looked at with different services offered too.
In Gwinnett... Seeing the county grow as much as it has... I have been very impressed with the growth of the sewage system county wide. Specifically, it is a single system for such a large area/population they have a large economies of scale to operate more efficiently, than is smaller local governments controlled the service.
But I will say... I was equally impressed with how the very small city of Lilburn and even Suwannee could get a sizable greenway built, yet the much larger county with far bigger resources doesn't can't in similar areas or scale.
But when it comes to parks... I think there has been a benefit where Gwinnett could buy large parcels of land pre-development for larger parks. If we had smaller cities everywhere, many of the cities in growing areas wouldn't have the resources to do that starting off.
alot of pros and cons to balance.
I am not up to speed on this subject, I am wondering if some of these Texas suburbs have some mutually shared services. I think some of the smaller burbs here might buy water from another, some might share sewage. Would have to look into that more.
I am not up to speed on this subject, I am wondering if some of these Texas suburbs have some mutually shared services. I think some of the smaller burbs here might buy water from another, some might share sewage. Would have to look into that more.
Its possible. It is also possible the county performs certain services, while the cities split different ones.
What is interesting about Georgia and the fact we don't have many cities is cities only need provide 3 services to incorporate. There is flexibility in deciding to perform more, but they have the choice to only provide 3 of their choosing and let the county keep going with the rest.
The main reasons I looked into Gwinnett's plan so much was the water wars issue and a major expansion and rebuild of a sewage treatment plant really close to my parents old house. Gwinnett has done alot to make sure most new development is on sewer, so we can return about 80% of what we take in from Lake Lanier...instead of lose 100% to septic/ground water supply.
The big concern I have is transportation planning. There is a huge mixed bag of pro and cons.
Dunwoody and Sandy Springs are an excellent example. The Perimeter Center area really is a huge regional business district that is important to many beyond the two cities, yet it has weak arterial road connections and most roads are designed to discourage through traffic and make it easier for residents.
It took the state coming in and temporarily making Abernathy Rd and Johnson Ferry Rd under state route status just to improve the corridor and end problems of each side of the river not getting along.
The part that scares me... This is on example of an area that needs this to happen 6 or 7 times in the long-run.
As a big region we hurt ourselves so much by not upgrading roads, because we are bickering over who gets to use them. It wasn't a big issue when we first widened the highways, but that only lasts so long.
It is bad enough on a county to county level, but I fear it on the intra-county level too. I wish there legal protections for the county to be able to take over and keep roads as inter city city routes within the cities, without state or city control.
Especially as largely low-density residential area are gobbling all of the regions smaller business centers to take in tax revenue.
Back to the case of the water issue in Gwinnett, I also wouldn't want a city like Dacula to annex land for a developer and grant them the rights to go septic when the county has done so much to prevent it for the regional greater good. The only major benefit in Gwinnett is Buford city is the only one licensed to take in water and they need Gwinnett's resourced to do it and Gwinnett controls distribution to Dacula, so they can prevent Dacula from using the county distribution if development doesn't play by the rules...
and my head is spinning
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