Georgia House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) has appointed State Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) to serve as Chair of the House Study Committee on Annexation and Cityhood.
Anderson was one of the sponsors of House Resolution 222 which established the committee during the 2021 legislative session. The 5-member panel will review state laws governing annexation disputes and municipal incorporation.
Georgia’s population has grown over the past 10 years. As a result, Anderson says there’s been a boom in annexation movements and a push to create new cities, especially in the metro Atlanta area.
“Often these efforts fail to consider the voices of local property owners and service providers who are impacted by those seeking to develop these unincorporated areas,” he says. “There is also mounting pressure to incorporate new cities which often leaves citizens paying for fragmented and duplicated government services.”
Other members of the committee include Rep. Rob Leverett (R-Elberton), Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville), and Rep. Brad Thomas (R-Holly Springs).
The committee will study current laws and procedures and offer any recommendations deemed necessary to protect property owners and promote “smart development,” Anderson says.
The panel will report its findings to House leaders by December 2021.
