The City of South Fulton suffers a setback...

...Yesterday, Judge T. Jackson Bedford dismissed a lawsuit filed by the South Fulton Concerned Citizens to overturn the 13,000-plus acres annexed by the existing municipalities in South Fulton prior to the October 30th deadline imposed by SB552, the City of South Fulton legislation.

"A Fulton County judge refused Tuesday to overturn a wave of annexations that has seen more than 13,000 acres south of Atlanta taken into cities.

In dismissing a lawsuit filed by a group of local activists, Fulton Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford said he believed the law setting up two proposed south Fulton cities intended to let the existing cities add to their boundaries before the new cities can be created." [Source: 11/22/2006 AJC article "Judge upholds south Fulton annexations"]

Here are links to the annexations done by Union City, Fairburn, and Palmetto. Right now, I think that a new feasibility study should be done on the proposed City of South Fulton taking into account the annexations that have been upheld by Judge Bedford. The major question on my mind is whether a City of South Fulton can survive without the land that was gobbled up by the existing cities, and I think that any feasibility study done now should include an answer to that question.

If the City of South Fulton can remain fiscally solvent, while keeping taxes at current levels, and not cutting the level of existing services provided by Fulton County, then I still believe that incorporation is a good idea. However, if a City of South Fulton runs deficits and has to cover those deficits by either raising taxes or cutting services, then I believe that we should re-think a new City of South Fulton.

Plain and simple, a new feasibility study is needed to examine all the facts, both new and old.