GOP special election candidate opposes East Cobb Cityhood

A second candidate in an April 5 special election for a legislative seat in East Cobb said this week he’s opposed to East Cobb Cityhood.

Mitchell Kaye, a former legislator and one of three Republicans in the four-candidate field for Georgia House District 45, issued a statement Wednesday saying that public safety services for the proposed City of East Cobb “continue to bother me.”

Voters in the proposed city will be deciding in a May 24 referendum on whether to create a city, and to approve a charter on how the city would be governed.

When cityhood legislation was filed in March 2021, it proposed planning and zoning, code enforcement and parks and recreation services.

But when a financial feasibility study was released in November, it included police and fire services. Cityhood leaders said public safety was an issue that kept coming up when they met with citizens and community groups over the last year.

Kaye said the initial services “offer a real benefit to local residents, but unfortunately the original legislation was hijacked to include an unnecessary public safety component.

“The more I looked into the public safety component, the worse it looked. In my 33 years in East Cobb, I have heard no complaints regarding our excellent police and fire protection,” Kaye said in his statement.

“Regarding our own police force, there will be no benefit, but costs will rise with the duplicative requirement for our own municipal court, municipal judge(s) and a jail.”

East Cobb is the only of four cityhood campaigns in Cobb proposing public safety. Lost Mountain and Vinings referendums also will be on May 24, and a Mableton cityhood bill is still pending in the Georgia legislature.

Kaye added further thoughts on his campaign website.

Early voting is underway for the District 45 special election, which was called in February when former State Rep. Matt Dollar, the East Cobb Cityhood bill sponsor, resigned his seat.

Dustin McCormick, the only Democrat in the special election, has said he is adamantly opposed to cityhood.

The other two Republican candidates, Darryl Wilson and Pamela Ayalon, previously told the MDJ they encourage voters to inform themselves about cityhood issues but didn’t state a  personal position. East Cobb News has contacted both seeking further comment.

Wilson replied by saying he doesn’t have a vote on cityhood since he lives outside the proposed boundaries. He also told us this:

“Ultimately, all voices have to be heard and vote on the best way to control the character of your community.

“I believe that is what is about to happen in East Cobb with the referendum.

“The people will decide and I will represent the people.

“If you agree, I really need your vote and all of your neighbors friends in our district with the widest distribution possible.”

Kaye said he supports citizens having the right to vote on a referendum.

But in his statement he said that a friend’s home was destroyed last week by fire (and the man suffered extensive burns), and he noted the extensive response from Cobb Fire.

“They were able to use county-wide departmental resources, resources that a city the size of East Cobb could not,” Kaye said.

“This incident only reinforces my NO position on cityhood. The safety and well being of our community cannot be jeopardized.”

Early voting continues through April 1 for the special election in the current boundaries of District 45. The winner will fill the remainder of Dollar’s term, through the end of this year.

Cobb Elections has more information on who is eligible to vote in the special election, which is different from those who may be voting in the primaries.

McCormick also has qualified for primary in the new District 45. State Rep. Sharon Cooper, a Republican, has qualified after serving in District 43 since 1997.

Cooper is a co-sponsor of the East Cobb Cityhood bill has a primary candidate in Cobb GOP activist Carminthia Moore.

None of the special election GOP candidates qualified to run in the new District 45.

Related:

• ECBA, Rotary Club schedule East Cobb Cityhood debates
• Early voting continues in Georgia House special election
• 4 candidates qualify in State House special election
• East Cobb News Politics & Elections page
• East Cobb News Cityhood information page

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