COBB COUNTY, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — West Cobb County residents living in the Lost Mountain community will soon decide whether to become an independent city. It’s one of several cityhood movements making headlines around Metro Atlanta.
Thousands of people live in the Lost Mountain community, where there’s a big divide on whether push for cityhood. “We have super low taxes and excellent county services, so why would we want to fix something that’s not broken,” said Megan Dominy, a member of the non-partisan non-profit called Protect West Cobb. The organization opposes the cityhood effort.
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“It’s way too rushed. There are way too many unknowns and we don’t even have a proposed budget,” Dominy said. “We’re gonna see a deterioration in all of our services, and I think we’re all gonna pay out of our wallets for it.”
Steven Lang, who also opposes the movement, organized the City of Lost Mountain: Pros and Cons Facebook Page, which now has more than 1,800 members.
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“They’re giving a blank check to a group of opportunists who don’t care about us as citizens,” he said, referencing cityhood supporters. “First of all, we would have to pay more for less services, and second of all, we’re all gonna have to pay more taxes.”
Members of Preserve West Cobb, including David Chastain and others who support cityhood, say one county commissioner representing more than 70,000 people is not enough.
“As the county continues to grow, it’s important to make sure that the folks who are helping make decisions for the future of our community actually live here. Why this needs to be created is to make sure that those that live here, that raise their children here, that work here, that go to church here, will have their finger on the pulse of how this community develops,” said Chastain, who also asserts taxes would not go up. “We have a unique position to create a city, and ultimately, create empowerment in our community,” he said.
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The fate of the movement is now in the hands of voters, who will decide on a cityhood referendum on the May 24 election.
