The Supreme Court of Georgia has tentatively scheduled oral arguments on the challenge to the existence of the City of Mableton for November 6. The Courier will run responses from the city and the plaintiffs when we’ve received responses from both.

Background

Cobb County Superior Court Judge Sonja Brown dismissed the case filed by a group of plaintiffs challenging the legality of the referendum that created the City of Mableton.

The plaintiffs are Deidre White, Ronnie Blue, Judy King, Tanya Leake and Robert Swarthout.

The plaintiffs argued that the referendum wording on the ballot authorizing the city to set up a Community Improvement District (CID), violated the state’s single-subject rule (only one subject can be addressed in a referendum).

The plaintiffs were represented by attorney Allen Lightcap.

The city’s attorney in the case, former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton, argued that the CID was germane to the city’s creation, was not a separate subject, and, therefore, didn’t violate the single-subject rule.

The two sides presented their arguments to Judge Brown in a hearing on March 6. Judge Brown ruled in favor of the City of Mableton.

Read Judge Brown’s ruling by following this link.